Harpsund, 27 November 2024
Today, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is hosting a meeting at Harpsund with the Nordic and Baltic countries’ heads of government and Poland’s Prime Minister. The leaders have discussed transatlantic relations, security in the Baltic Sea region and long-term support to Ukraine. They also delivered a joint statement.
“Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security. This requires us to increase our cooperation and continue providing long-term support to Ukraine, which is fighting for both its own and our collective security,” says Mr Kristersson.
The countries, all now members of NATO, met at Harpsund to discuss deepened cooperation and demonstrate unity in their support to Ukraine in light of the geopolitical and security situation in our neighbourhood. They also delivered a joint statement. The President of France Emmanuel Macron participated via link during a part of the meeting.
At 16.40, the leaders will hold a joint press conference from Harpsund that can be followed live on government.se. Mr Kristersson, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Latvia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže will take part.
Tomorrow, Mr Kristersson will hold bilateral talks with Mr Tusk, who has been invited to the meeting as a special guest. They will then sign a new strategic partnership between Sweden and Poland.
Shortcuts
- Joint statement by the Heads of Government of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden
- Press release: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to host Nordic-Baltic Summit at Harpsund
Joint statement by the Heads of Government of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden
We, the Heads of Government of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden met today in Harpsund, Sweden, at a pivotal time for our security. As a result of this Summit, all the leaders of the Nordic-Baltic countries and Poland, have agreed the following:
We are determined to shoulder our responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security as we face grave security threats and challenges. We are united by a shared perception of threats and readiness to do what is needed to counter them. The transatlantic bond is indispensable, and we will increase our collective efforts to keep ourselves and all our Allies safe.
We will strengthen our support to Ukraine. Our countries are the largest per-capita contributors of military assistance to Ukraine and our support will not waver. Ukraine must be able to prevail against Russia’s aggression, to ensure a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. In the coming months, we will step up our support, including to the Ukrainian defence industry, and we will invest in making more ammunition available to Ukraine. Ukraine’s courage and resilience will be backed by strong and steadfast support by our countries whereby military assistance is an integral part. We encourage others to do the same.
We support the Ukrainian Victory Plan. We are committed to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine, and its full European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Russia remains the most significant and direct threat to our security in the long term. Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and increasing use of hybrid actions have shattered peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area and gravely undermine global security. We will work together to constrain, contest and counter Russia’s aggressive and highly confrontational actions as well as to ensure its full international accountability for the crime of aggression. Together with our Allies, we are committed to strengthening our deterrence, and defence, including resilience, against conventional as well as hybrid attacks, and to expanding sanctions against Russia as well as against those who enable Russia’s aggression, thus threatening our common security.
Source – Government of Sweden