It is important to bring all ministers together and ensure that we have a completely shared situational picture, says Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) at a press conference.
According to Kristersson, the Swedish strategy is simple:
We seek systematic cooperation with other countries that are like-minded and share our values. We are building a stronger Swedish defense ourselves and, to quote the Minister of Finance, we have "world-class state finances", which means that we are equipped both to expand defense and to cope with increased tariffs.
Ultimately, it is the economy that builds security, says Kristersson, describing Sweden as a "power factor" in trade policy.
Appreciates talks
When asked what the government knows about NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's agreement with Donald Trump on Greenland, Kristersson says:
I spoke to (Danish Prime Minister) Mette Frederiksen yesterday, and she of course appreciated that there have been talks between NATO and the US about what NATO can do together to strengthen security in the Arctic, but she was very careful to say that no one other than Denmark and Greenland is negotiating about Denmark and Greenland.
Meeting moved forward
Regarding Ukraine, Kristersson says that there is now nothing to suggest that Russia has changed its fundamental stance on peace with Ukraine.
"We know that the Americans believe they are changing their minds. No one is happier than me if that is true, but my message is to have very realistic hopes for the talks between Ukraine and Russia in the coming days," he says.
The security meeting was originally scheduled for Saturday but was moved forward to Friday afternoon. The council meets regularly, but extraordinary meetings are rarer.
