Sweden in NATO

The Government today presented a government bill to the Riksdag with proposals on how Sweden will contribute to NATO’s overall deterrence and defence in the North Atlantic area in 2025.

On Friday 4 October, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard will receive Latvia’s Minister for Defence Andris Sprūds at the South Skåne Regiment (P 7) in Revingehed.

On 9–11 July, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson took part in the NATO Summit in Washington DC together with Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. The member states agreed on new support to Ukraine and measures to strengthen NATO’s capability for deterrence and defence. NATO also celebrated its 75th anniversary during the summit.

Sweden will enter a coalition together with eleven other countries, which, through joint procurement, will support Ukraine’s armed forces with unmanned aerial vehicles – drones. Systems training may also be included.

The Nordic countries are entering into a cooperation to promote access to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden’s airspace for NATO’s air operations. On 9 July, a declaration of cooperation was signed by the countries’ defence ministers in connection with the NATO Summit in Washington DC.

On 9–11 July, NATO’s 32 member countries are gathering for the NATO Summit in Washington DC. Sweden is represented by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. The Summit is the first one Sweden is attending as a full member of the defence Alliance.

On 25 June, Mr Billström will travel to Warsaw for talks with Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson received NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday 7 June. The agenda included bilateral talks and a demonstration of the Swedish Armed Forces’ activities on naval vessel HSwMS Carlskrona. They also held a joint press conference.

On 13–14 June, Pål Jonson will take part in a meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels for the first time since Sweden became a full member of NATO. The agenda includes discussions about NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities and preparations ahead of the NATO Summit in Washington DC in July.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström’s during his visit to Texas 13–15 May 2024. Check against delivery.

On 6–7 June, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will receive NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The programme includes National Day celebrations at Skansen, bilateral talks and a visit to the Swedish Armed Forces.

On 28–29 May, Canada’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly visited Stockholm at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström. The visit took place in the light of Sweden’s NATO membership and preparations ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Washington DC in July.

On 30–31 May, Mr Billström will take part in an informal meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Prague.

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.

The Swedish Government has decided to task the Armed Forces with planning and preparing Swedish participation in NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, Forward Land Forces (FLF), in Latvia. The contribution will consist of a force equalling the size of a reduced battalion of 600 soldiers. It will be part of a brigade led by Canada beginning in early 2025.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström at Selwyn College, Cambridge, 16 April 2024. Check against delivery.

On 15–16 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström is travelling to the United Kingdom for a visit in London and Cambridge. During the visit, he will meet with his British counterpart Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron for discussions on bilateral relations, NATO and support to Ukraine.

On 3–4 April, Mr Billström will take part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels. This is the first time that Sweden will participate as a NATO Ally. A meeting will also be held between NATO foreign ministers and Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström at Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, 21 March 2024. Check against delivery.

Today, 20 March, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström presented the Government’s Statement of Foreign Policy following Sweden’s accession to NATO.