Military defence

The European Commission has decided to provide financial support to industrial projects aimed at increasing ammunition production capacity. The Swedish Government has decided to co-finance one of the projects, provided that the Commission granted support. This project, run by the Nammo Sweden AB company, could eventually triple the capacity for filling artillery shells in the coming years.

Sweden intends to provide EUR 30 million in support for a Czech ammunition initiative for artillery shells to Ukraine. The Government has authorised the Defence Materiel Administration to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the responsible authority in Czechia.

On Monday 11 March, Sweden’s flag was raised at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, a number of Ministers of the Swedish Government also took part. HRH Crown Princess Victoria, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Micael Bydén and the leaders of the Social Democrats, Sweden Democrats and Centre Party were in attendance as well.

All NATO member countries have now approved Sweden’s application for membership. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is in Washington DC to deposit Sweden’s instrument of accession.

On 5 March, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson received his German counterpart Boris Pistorius.

On 23 February, Sweden and Hungary entered into an agreement under which Hungary will purchase four new Gripen aircraft from Sweden. The agreement was signed when Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson visited Budapest.

The Swedish Government has given the Swedish Armed Forces a framework mandate to carry out and take part in military training of Ukrainian citizens in 2024. Ukraine has greatly appreciated the training support Sweden has provided thus far. Ongoing training activities are now being extended, with the possibility to supplement previous training initiatives with additional activities.

Today, 20 February, the Government presented the 15th and largest military support package to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. Package 15 amounts to SEK 7.1 billion in current prices. It comprises a maritime initiative that includes Combat Boat 90s, small and fast motorboats (G-boats) and underwater weapons. The package also includes artillery ammunition, an anti-aircraft system, light anti-tank weapons, recoilless rifles, hand grenades, medical equipment, medical transport vehicles, food, and financial support to bilateral and multilateral projects or funds. It also involves financial support to enable Ukraine to purchase more Combat Vehicle 90s.

Check against delivery.

Check against delivery.

On Tuesday, 19 December 2023, the Swedish Defence Commission submitted its report on the state and further development of the total defence, with a focus on the civilian defence, to Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

On 18 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson travelled to Copenhagen for talks with Danish Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen. Matters discussed during the visit included support to Ukraine, current NATO issues and the upcoming Danish Chairmanship of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) in 2024.

The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) will constitute a framework for continued defence cooperation by regulating the conditions for the presence of US forces in Sweden.

Represented by Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Sweden and the US have signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA). This means that the countries have agreed on the conditions for US forces to operate in Sweden. The DCA regulates issues such as the legal status of US forces, access to deployment areas and pre-positioning of military materiel in Sweden.

From 1 to 8 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson is visiting the United States to take part in the Reagan National Defense Forum, promote Swedish defence innovations and industry, and strengthen bilateral cooperation with the US.

Damage to cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea has been discovered recently on multiple occasions. The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) will increase its presence to help improve protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the region. Sweden will provide two corvettes.

Today, the Defence Ministers of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) agreed to activate a JEF Response Option. This includes maritime and air capabilities which will deploy across the JEF’s core region as a military contribution to the protection of critical undersea infrastructure.

On November 23, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson invites the media to a press conference, following the meeting with defence ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries at Karlberg Palace.

Updated version 23/10 16:30: It has been confirmed that an undersea telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia has been damaged by means of external force or tampering. Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin held a press conference on Tuesday 17 October to provide an overview of the situation and describe what government agencies are doing in response. Chief of the Swedish Navy Ewa Skoog Haslum and Director General of the Swedish Coast Guard Lena Lindgren Schelin also took part in the press conference.

On Friday 13 October, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hosted a Summit in Visby attended by heads of state and government within the framework of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) regional defence cooperation partnership. At the Summit, the leaders discussed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, stronger cooperation with NATO and the countering of hybrid threats. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part via video link.