Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that his country's main message at the NATO summit to be held in Ankara would be support for Ukraine.
Kristersson said at a joint press conference with Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard in Stockholm that the summit would take place amid global instability. He noted that the Russia-Ukraine war was continuing at high intensity but that Russian forces had not been able to make significant progress.
The Swedish Prime Minister stated that world public opinion was questioning Russia's stance, saying, "The most important question everyone is asking ahead of the Ankara summit is this: What will Russia do, which does not want negotiations but apparently cannot win a victory either?"
Kristersson also touched on the situation in the Middle East, noting that uncertainty had prevailed in the region during the spring months but that partial stability had recently been achieved. He recalled that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened to limited ship traffic and expressed that they were expecting steps toward lasting peace.
The summit's three main agenda items
Kristersson said he shared the three priorities set by the NATO Secretary General: "burden sharing," "strengthening the defense industrial base," and "long-term support for Ukraine."
He explained that burden sharing meant monitoring the commitment adopted at the previous summit to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense and building a stronger European pillar within the Alliance. He stated that the defense industry issue would be addressed at the Defense Industry Forum to be held on the sidelines of the summit.
Support for Ukraine a foreign policy priority
The Swedish Prime Minister stressed that support for Ukraine was of vital importance for Stockholm. "Support for Ukraine is Sweden's main foreign policy priority. This is a real investment in European security, and Sweden is playing one of the leading roles in this regard. Our main message in Ankara will probably be this," he said.
Kristersson described the attendance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the dinner on the first day of the summit as "a very important sign," and said that allies would also discuss the implementation of the decision taken a year ago in The Hague to allocate 5 percent of GDP to defense. This target needs to be achieved by all member states by 2030 at the latest.
Swedish defense industry on an export offensive
Kristersson announced that they had achieved significant successes in the defense industry in recent months. He revealed that 16 new model Gripen fighter jets had been sold to Ukraine, three A26 submarines to Poland, and that negotiations had begun with Canada for six GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft.
The Swedish Prime Minister noted that defense industry exports had increased by 70 percent during his government's tenure. "As NATO restructures its defense, this process is increasingly being carried out by Swedish hands. This is quite remarkable. This success is the result of the joint effort of both Swedish companies and the Swedish government. The defense industry is no longer seen as an unstable sector struggling for financing in the markets; on the contrary, it is recognized as a vital resource for protecting democracy in our region. It is clear that Sweden, a country of engineers, is now making a contribution to NATO far beyond its own strong defense," he said.
Foreign Minister stresses Ukraine
Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, for her part, noted that foreign and defense ministers would also attend the Ankara summit alongside leaders, which would provide an intensive diplomatic schedule. She announced that on the margins of the summit, a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting would be held with the participation of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, as well as a meeting with the partners of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.
Stenergard stressed that Ukraine, which is showing resilience against Russia, is a key partner for NATO. "Ukraine is contributing not only to its own security but also to ours. We all need to learn from Ukraine's innovation capacity and combat experience, which it generously shares," she said.
