Berga Naval Base, 7 Jun. 2024
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the Swedish Armed Forces at Berga Naval Base on Friday (7 June 2024), in his first visit to Sweden since the country joined NATO in March. After a meeting with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Mr Stoltenberg underlined that Sweden’s membership has made NATO stronger and Sweden safer.
The Secretary General highlighted Sweden’s many contributions to the Alliance, including highly capable forces and advanced capabilities. Sweden also spends more than 2% of GDP on defence and strengthens “our presence not least in the High North and the Baltic region,” he said. Mr Stoltenberg also welcomed the announcement that Sweden will contribute to NATO’s Air Policing. “This demonstrates how Sweden is making major contributions to our Alliance, just three months after you joined,” said the Secretary General.
On support to Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg praised Sweden for leading by example and providing billions of euros, making it one of the top supporters. He further welcomed Sweden’s decision to deliver two state-of-the-art radar surveillance aircraft to Ukraine as part of Stockholm’s largest assistance package to date.
At the Washington Summit in July, Allied leaders will discuss a bigger NATO role in coordinating and supplying security assistance and training for Ukraine. The Secretary General has also proposed a multi-year financial pledge to ensure more accountability and predictability. These efforts “will send a clear message to Moscow that Moscow cannot wait us out in Ukraine. The paradox is that the stronger our commitment is for Ukraine for long haul, the sooner this war can end,” said Mr Stoltenberg.
Joint press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson
(As delivered)
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
[speaking in Norwegian]
Let me say some word in English. First of all, I thank you for the good cooperation and good meetings we had today and yesterday. And, Sweden as a NATO Ally is contributing in many different ways to our shared security, to our collective defence. Sweden is an Ally that already spends 2% or even a bit more actually, of GDP on defence. You have well trained, well equipped forces, you have an advanced defence industry. So therefore, it is a great privilege to be here for the first time as Secretary General in NATO in Sweden as a full-fledged member.
Swedish membership also helps to strengthen our presence, not least in the Nordic, the High North and the Baltic region. And I welcome the announcement today that Sweden will contribute to NATO’s Air Policing. This demonstrates how Sweden is making major contributions to our Alliance just three months after you joined.
We discussed the preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington.
More support will be one of the main topics, the most urgent task for the Alliance. And we are now working on how NATO can create a better and stronger framework for our support to Ukraine. So, we can play a bigger role in coordinating and providing security assistance and training for Ukraine. We’re also addressing how we can provide and agree long term financial pledge for Ukraine. So, we have more predictability and more accountability. And also, that we send a clear message to Moscow that Moscow cannot wait us out in Ukraine. The [inaudible] is that the stronger our commitment is for Ukraine for long haul, the shorter, the sooner this war can end, because then Moscow, President Putin will understand that they cannot wait out NATO Allies and Ukraine.
We will also address at the Washington Summit how we can further strengthen our deterrence and defence to ensure that our new defence plans are fully operational and fully possible to execute. That means more investments and therefore I welcome that more and more Allies are now spending 2% of GDP on defence. But as we agreed at the last Summit in Vilnius last summer, 2% is a minimum to deliver on the NATO capability targets which Allies have agreed. Most Allies will need to spend more than 2% on defence to ensure that they meet those targets.
So, it is always a pleasure to visit Sweden. Again, a great pleasure to visit Sweden as a NATO Ally. Thank you.
Sources – NATO:
- Audio: Joint press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson – 07 Jun. 2024 – download mp3
- Press release: Joint press conference by NATO Secretary General and Swedish Prime Minister (opening remarks)