Efforts to strengthen Sweden’s security

The Government has adopted a new strategy for Sweden’s defence industry with the aim of creating an innovative and competitive defence sector with a high production capacity.

On May 16, Sweden signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the protection of critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The MoU was concluded with the Baltic Sea countries within the EU, along with Norway, Iceland and the EU.

Sweden is investing billions in the procurement of four new tactical transport aircraft. Together with the Netherlands and Austria, Sweden is purchasing C-390 aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. As Sweden is joining an existing contract, delivery times will be shortened.

On 1–3 April, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will visit Poland. On 1 April, Mr Jonson will participate in a formal ceremony for the Swedish contribution to Air Policing. On 2 April, Mr Jonson will take part in a high-level conference on the White Paper on the future of European defence, and on 2–3 April, Mr Jonson will represent Sweden at the informal meeting of EU defence ministers.

On Wednesday 26 March, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will travel to Paris for bilateral talks with France’s Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.

On Tuesday 25 March, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will travel to London for bilateral talks with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence John Healey.

In Sweden, freedom of expression and demonstration are protected by the Constitution. Freedom of expression is one of the foundations of the Swedish state. Freedom of expression, freedom of information,  freedom to demonstrate and freedom of assembly are therefore central rights in our democracy. The individual’s right to freedom of religion is also strongly protected by the Constitution.

Today, the Defence Materiel Administration and its Danish counterpart, the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation, signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for the coordinated procurement of 205 units of the Combat Vehicle 90, CV9035 MKIIIC version.

(New version) Today, 3 December, Sweden and the United States have signed a statement of intent on enhanced cooperation between Swedish and US special forces. The contents of the statement are secret, but it will allow for enhanced operational and capability-developing cooperation between special forces.

Today, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met to sign a new strategic partnership between Sweden and Poland. This partnership includes the two countries strengthening their cooperation within security and defence, innovation and competitiveness.

Today, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are holding bilateral talks at Harpsund. At 14.00, they will sign a new strategic partnership between Sweden and Poland and then hold a joint press conference.

(New version) The Government has now presented a Total Defence Bill for the period 2025–2030. It includes substantial reinforcements of the total defence. Additional funding over SEK 170 billion will be allocated to the military defence and SEK 37.5 billion to the civil defence through 2030. These are historically large investments. Defence expenditures will therefore already reach 2.6 per cent of GDP in 2028.

Mr Pål Jonson, Minister for Defence, Sweden, today had a bilateral meeting with Ms Jana Černochová, Minister for Defence, Czech Republic, during the security conference GLOBSEC Forum, which is taking place from 30 August to 1 September in Prague. A Joint Declaration on the Enhancement of Defence Cooperation was signed.

On Tuesday, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin signed a Letter of Intent on strengthened defence cooperation between Sweden and Moldova.

The security situation has deteriorated in both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions in recent years. When Japan’s Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara met with Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson in Stockholm on 25 July, discussions included deepened cooperation to tackle these challenges.

On 12 July, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson signed a Letter of Intent concerning security cooperation between Sweden and the U.S. state of New York. The cooperation will be mainly between the Swedish Armed Forces and the New York National Guard as part of the United States’ State Partnership Program (SPP).

The Government has adopted Sweden’s new national security strategy, which includes five guiding principles for management of Sweden’s security. It constitutes the framework for the Government’s work on national security until 2030.

Based on our national security interests, the international situation and Sweden’s strength and assets, this strategy establishes that safeguarding Sweden’s national security is the Government’s most important task and top priority. Sweden must rapidly strengthen its capability to prevent and deal with the various threats and risks that are described in this strategy.

Innovative emerging and disruptive technologies that benefit defence and security are of central importance amid the intensifying political, ideological and economic tensions shaping the international situation. The Government is now presenting a strategic approach for defence innovation that collects and clarifies political ambitions and measures going forward. This strategic approach creates conditions to accelerate and mutually strengthen innovation in the military and civilian sectors, contributing to Sweden’s defence capability and innovative capacity, increased competitiveness and enhanced security.

On 5 March, Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and German Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius signed a letter of intent on deeper defence cooperation between Sweden and Germany.