Login
iscover
US officials have voiced support for Sweden to gain NATO membership before the group meets for its July summit in Lithuania, as the country awaits the outcome of its 2022 application.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III made the comments during a meeting with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson at the Swedish Navy headquarters in Musko Naval Base near Stockholm on 19 April.
“We look forward to continuing to advocate for your swift admission to NATO, and we’ll work hard to get that done before the summer. I think that’s really, really important,” Defense Secretary Austin said.
“You will ... add a lot of value to NATO, our overall effort. You have ... a highly professional military, and you have invested a lot in modernisation over the last several years.
“As you know, our forces have done a lot together, and thereby, increased interoperability here over the last several years.
“The ties between Sweden and the United States run strong, and they run deep … and the partnership between our two democracies continues to flourish. During the turbulence of the past year, Sweden has taken two major steps to strengthen our relationship even further.
“To underscore our deep support, the department has increased the number of ship visits and bomber task force missions and high-level engagements with Sweden.
“We are doing all of this for a simple but important reason: Sweden’s membership in NATO is going to mean a stronger alliance and a more secure Europe.”
Troops from Sweden, the US, and other European nations are participating in Exercise Aurora 23 from 11 May, the largest Swedish military exercise in recent memory.
Finland and Sweden made applications to joint NATO in early 2022, with Finland’s membership approved earlier this month.
“You have the full and firm support of the United States,” Austin said.
“We recently welcomed Finland as the 31st member of NATO, and we look forward to soon welcoming Sweden as the 32nd.
“I would just say that it’s important to all of us that they make the decision sooner versus later. Because we all look forward to having a very capable Sweden sitting at the desk beside us in Vilnius this summer.”
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said the country is thankful for the support lent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO.
“I feel and I think Sweden feels more secure now after we became invitee to NATO. We're militarily more integrated now than before we had the invitee status. We have received reassurances from the United States and other important partners about our security. We see a much more active exercise pattern from the United States and other countries in our vicinity, and that builds security,” Jonson said.
“I'm hopeful that we will be able to join NATO by the Vilnius Summit. I think the Vilnius Summit is going to be a very important moment for the alliance as it’s stepping up its activities when it comes to deterrence and defense, with everything from regional plans, force capabilities, and new command-and-control structures.
“We want to be there at the table in order … to be a security provider into the alliance. And we think that we can provide the alliance with strategic depth and make it also better and more effective ways also, in order to show deterrence and defense, at least when it comes to the Baltic states and Finland.
“We are very grateful for the continued support from the United States for Sweden’s application to NATO and the clear message from you on the importance of a quick ratification for Sweden’s bid to join the alliance and become a full-fledged member of NATO.
“Your visit to Stockholm today, together with the United States’ very frequent military presence through training exercises and other activities in Sweden and in our neighborhood, is also very much appreciated.
“I always say that supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do, but it’s also the smart thing to do when it comes to the military support that we provide for Ukraine.
“It is needed so that Ukraine can reclaim lost territory and regain its freedom. And by supporting Ukraine, we’re also investing into our own security, as Ukraine is, of course, fighting for its freedom, but it’s also fighting for a safer and more secure Europe. It’s a top priority for the Swedish government to continue support for Ukraine ... for as long as needed.”
The US Secretary of Defense next moves to host the 11th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
