Military budget

(New version) The prevailing security situation is more serious than it has been in several decades, and Russia constitutes a multi-dimensional threat to Sweden. The Government is therefore implementing historic investments in defence. Together with previous budgetary expansions, appropriations increase by SEK 26.6 billion in the Budget Bill for 2026. This corresponds to an increase of 18 per cent over 2025. These proposals and increases broadly strengthen Sweden’s defence capability.

Today, the Government, together with the Social Democratic Party, the Sweden Democrats, the Left Party, the Centre Party and the Green Party, presents an agreement to enable a historic expansion of Sweden’s defence to meet NATO’s new defence spending targets – expected to be 3.5 per cent of GDP – and that this expansion will be achieved rapidly through temporary financing via loans. This is a historic show of strength. If NATO were to agree on an additional target of 1.5 per cent of GDP for broader defence and security-related investments, the parties are in agreement that Sweden should also meet that target.

SEK 25 billion to strengthen military defence; an additional SEK 16.5 billion to increased 2025 ‘Ukraine framework’; and a SEK 96 million package of targeted measures to counter hybrid threats. These are the proposals the Government will present in the forthcoming Spring Amending Budget. The Government and the Sweden Democrats have also agreed on a funding model to ensure that Sweden is able meet to a new, higher NATO spending target.

Check against delivery.

In its 2025 Budget Bill, the Government proposes additional funding worth SEK 13 billion to Sweden’s military defence, including upward adjustments and previous decisions. This corresponds to an increase of 10 per cent compared with 2024. The proposal means that appropriations for military defence amount to SEK 138 billion for 2025. For the coming defence decision period 2025–2030, the Government proposes over SEK 170 billion in additional funding. This is a significant increase in resources aimed at implementing measures in the upcoming bill Total Defence 2025–2030. With these increases, defence expenditure for 2025 is forecast to be equivalent to approximately 2.4 per cent of GDP according to NATO’s definition, and equivalent to approximately 2.6 per cent in 2028.

Sweden is currently facing the most serious security situation since the Second World War. This places new demands on military defence.

In the Budget Bill for 2024, the Government proposes additional funding to military defence amounting to approximately SEK 700 million. Taking into account upward adjustments and previous decisions, appropriations for military defence will increase by more than SEK 27 billion between 2023 and 2024 – an increase of 28 per cent. This means that appropriations have doubled since 2020 and that Sweden will already reach the defence expenditure target of two per cent of GDP according to NATO’s definition in 2024. In the Budget Bill, the Government also estimates additional funding for 2025 and 2026 amounting to approximately SEK 1.2 billion and SEK 7.4 billion, respectively.

Today the Government has presented investment proposals that will be included in its Spring Amending Budget. The proposals aim to create conditions for the continued growth of Sweden’s military defence and make preparations for NATO membership. Increased appropriations totalling SEK 660 million are proposed in the Spring Amending Budget for 2023. In addition, it is proposed that the Swedish Armed Forces’ authorisation to place orders be increased by SEK 16.78 billion.