Sweden to Raise Defense Spending to 5% of GDP

Sweden has announced that it will increase its defense spending to 5% of the country’s GDP.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson made the announcement on Friday in Stockholm during a press conference after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Ukrinform reports.

Sweden Takes New Step on Defense

Kristersson said that his government had already committed to spending 3.5% of GDP on defense. The decision to increase this to 5% reflects Sweden’s assessment of current security risks, especially related to Russia’s actions.

“We did this because we understand that regardless of the decisions of the NATO summit, we are in a very special geographical situation and must respond to future threats from Russia,” Kristersson stated.

He added that Russia’s war against Ukraine shows the danger, but noted that Russia has been a threat for many years, not just to Ukraine, but also to all of Europe and the NATO alliance.

Growing Pressure Among NATO Allies

According to Kristersson, there is a growing sense of urgency among NATO members to increase defense spending.

He said that supporting Ukraine’s right to defend itself against Russian aggression also helps to strengthen security across Europe and the entire Euro-Atlantic region.

It also helps to protect the global rules-based order that benefits all countries.

Kristersson made clear that this decision is Sweden’s sovereign choice. The government plans to formalize the decision after the upcoming NATO summit.

NATO Summit to Focus on Defense Spending

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has proposed that alliance members raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP, following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The upcoming NATO summit will take place on June 24-25 in The Hague, Netherlands. The leaders of NATO countries will discuss three main topics: Increasing defense spending, expanding the capacity of the defense industry, and the continuing support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.