The handover ceremony in Riga means that approximately 550 Swedish soldiers have for the first time joined a NATO-led brigade.
Friends, we are not at war, but we are not at peace either. The grey areas are too many, hybrid attacks are too frequent, says Ulf Kristersson.
None of us are here to seek confrontation. But when the rule-based world order is challenged, we contribute with stability, he continues.
He points out that Latvia is a frontline state against Russia and emphasizes NATO's Article 5 that an attack on a NATO country is an attack on the entire defense alliance.
An attack on an ally will trigger a response from all. Not to start a war, but to prevent war. And to preserve peace.
The Prime Minister is visiting the Latvian capital together with Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (The Moderate Party) and Defense Minister Pål Jonson (The Moderate Party).
Kristersson also personally thanks the Swedish soldiers.
You are defending us and our freedom on allied soil. I know that you feel pride over the mission you are about to undertake. And we feel gratitude as a nation.
NATO has forces deployed along NATO's eastern border, from the Baltic region in the north to Bulgaria in the south. A similar force is also being built up in Finland.
In the Latvian multinational brigade, 14 NATO countries are represented: Albania, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
The force has approximately 3,000 soldiers on high alert on site and the number of soldiers is increased during annual exercises.
Sweden is contributing with a reduced battalion of approximately 550 personnel. Sweden is also contributing personnel to the brigade's staff.
The Swedish battalion has brought with them combat vehicles 9040, mortar carrier bandvagn 90, main battle tank 122, and armored terrain vehicle 360, as well as trucks and broad-gauge vehicles.
Source: NATO and the Swedish Armed Forces
