Pål Jonson

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.

The Government met with more than 50 heads of government agencies to follow up these agencies’ efforts to promote gender equality in the frame of the Swedish Government’s development programme on gender mainstreaming in government agencies, which have been underway for over a decade. The focus of the meeting was to both take stock of the results of these efforts and have a dialogue about the future direction.

(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.

On 6–7 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will visit the United States to take part in the Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF) in Simi Valley, California.

On Friday 22 November, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson received his Ukrainian colleague Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov at Karlberg Palace. At the Palace, Mr Jonson presented plans for a new Swedish financial contribution to the Ukrainian defence industry with a focus on the mass production of long-range missiles and long-range drones.

Increased security in Northern Europe and enhanced support to Ukraine were on the agenda when Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson participated in several meetings of defence ministers in Copenhagen. Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov also took part in all the meetings.

(New version) On 22 November, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson invites the media to a press conference with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov, following his visit to Stockholm. The press conference will take place at Karlberg Palace.

On 20–21 November, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in a meeting in Copenhagen with other defence ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries.

On 19 November, Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson met with Lithuania’s Minister of Defence Laurynas Kačiūnas. During the meeting, a Letter of Intent (LOI) on strengthened defence cooperation between Sweden and Lithuania was signed.

On 19 November, the defence segment of the EU Foreign Affairs Council will convene. The meeting will focus on continued EU support to Ukraine and strengthening EU defence readiness and preparedness. Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will represent Sweden at the meeting.

Brazil is planning to extend the contract on Jas 39 Gripen fighter aircraft from Sweden, while Sweden is ready to begin negotiations to purchase Embraer C-390 transport aircraft from Brazil. Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Brazil’s Minister of Defense José Múcio signed a letter of intent to this effect today, 9 November.

Today, 9 November, Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson is in Natal for a meeting with Brazilian Minister of Defense José Múcio. In connection with the meeting, Mr Jonson will also visit the major operational air exercise Cruzex 2024.

Within the framework for previously military aid packages to Ukraine the Swedish Government will allocate financial support of EUR 63 million or approximately SEK 720 million to Ukraine. The financial contribution will cover EUR 20 million in support to Ukraine’s industrial base. This is based on a Danish model that aims to support procurements from Ukrainian industry in line with Ukraine’s proposals. The Government also intends to allocate approximately EUR 43 million in financial support to a number of multilateral initiatives to support Ukraine.

On 28–29 October, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will visit Qatar for a bilateral meeting with Minister of Defence and State Affairs HE Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah in Doha. This visit will take place as follow-up to the visit of the Amir of the State of Qatar, HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, to Stockholm in September.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Hungarian Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky sign Letter of Intent.

On 17–18 October, Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will meet with his colleagues from other NATO member countries in Brussels. Part of the meeting will also be attended for the first time by the defence ministers of Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand – NATO’s partners known as the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4).

(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.

Swedish Defence University, Stockholm, 24 September 2024. Check against delivery.

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.