'We will get even stronger': NATO member-to-be Sweden and US ink defence deal

With Sweden on the verge of joining NATO, the country has inked a defence cooperation agreement with the United States which grants Washington access to all of Sweden’s military bases, with the aim of enhancing regional security. According to the Associated Press, citing Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson, the deal, signed in Washington on Tuesday, will improve Sweden’s ability to receive support from the United States in times of war or crisis. Jonson told Swedish broadcaster SVT that it didn’t mean that “all 17 locations will be used“ but ”where it is most important from a military perspective for them to be able to store defense equipment, for example.” The Pentagon served as the venue for the signing, attended by Jonson and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. Austin highlighted that incorporating the capabilities of the Swedish armed forces into NATO will strengthen the alliance. ”We will get even stronger," said Austin. He said the agreement sends a robust signal about the commitment to addressing security challenges collaboratively. Gotland, Sweden’s strategically significant Baltic Sea island, is just over 300 kilometers from the Russian Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad. This agreement mirrors a similar one with NATO member Norway in 2021, and negotiations are underway for comparable agreements with Nordic countries Finland and Denmark. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, Sweden and Finland, traditionally non-aligned, opted to apply for NATO membership. While Finland joined NATO in April, approval from all existing members is required for new members. Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO countries yet to formally approve Sweden’s accession. Turkey, which has delayed ratification for over a year, accuses Sweden of not adequately addressing its security concerns, including its fight against Kurdish militants and other groups deemed security threats. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently urged Turkey to support Sweden’s membership, emphasizing that the time has come for this inclusion in the military alliance. With inputs from agencies