Sweden is one of Ukraine’s largest donors and will continue supporting the country in its fight against Russian aggression.
This was stated by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at the Berlin Security Conference.
“We have been helping Ukraine from the very beginning. More than 10 billion euros in military and civilian support since the start of Russian aggression makes Sweden one of the world’s largest providers of military aid, effectively sixth in the world in absolute terms,” Kristersson said.
He noted, however, that funding for Ukraine will run out, and many good initiatives across different geographic formats will simply not start if partners do not agree on a reliable, long-term financial framework. Sweden, he said, continues to promote the idea of Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and is actively working toward a positive decision on frozen Russian assets at the next European Council meeting in December.
“If we truly mean what we say — that Ukraine is fighting not only for itself but for us, that it is waging a war any democracy could be forced to fight — then we need to act more decisively. We need to put into practice what we talk about in meetings. And I will still say there is room for improvement in this regard,” the politician emphasized.
He noted that Putin’s ambition was clearly aimed at dividing Europe, but so far he has failed.
“European democracies have supported Ukraine for almost four years and will continue to do so. For Europe, strengthening this support is one of the most responsible tasks of our generation,” he stressed.
He emphasized that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine destroyed peace and stability in our part of the world, but also had enormous geopolitical consequences for the international order that for decades after World War II ensured Europe’s prosperity and security. The Prime Minister noted that it is still unclear when this brutal war will end, but it is certain that the way it ends will determine security for decades to come.
“That is why we must support Ukraine, strengthen our own resilience, and mobilize all available capabilities — military, economic, technological, innovative, and diplomatic,” he said.
He stressed the need for a “real sense of urgency” to intensify this work. Security is not free, and many countries have long understood this, especially those bordering Russia, Kristersson noted. He explained that Sweden is rapidly expanding its armed forces in all areas and has already doubled its military investments over the past four years and will continue to double them. The country is investing in new fighter jets, submarines, new cyber defense infrastructure, and other advanced technologies.
The Prime Minister noted that Swedish experts have learned a great deal from Ukraine’s tragic combat experience, especially regarding drones and counter-drone methods. Sweden has decided to increase defense spending to NATO’s target of 5% by 2030, he said, and reported that all political parties unanimously support this domestic goal, and six of eight parties were united in supporting Sweden’s NATO accession last year. Last year, the country reinstated conscription and civil service for both young men and women, Kristersson said, adding that he was proud to see his two youngest daughters complete their military servic
