Pål Jonson

Today, 7 July, in connection with the NATO Summit in Ankara, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that NATO has chosen Saab’s GlobalEye as its new Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C). This means that NATO will open negotiations with Saab to purchase up to 10 GlobalEye aircraft.

On 7–8 July, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in the NATO Summit in Ankara. The Government will hold two press conferences on site in Türkiye.

On 29 June, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited Gdynia, Poland for government-level talks. The meeting focused on strengthened bilateral cooperation between Sweden and Poland in the areas of regional security and defence. Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand, Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson and Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz also took part on the trip.

Sweden and Poland have successfully finalised negotiations on Poland’s procurement of three A26 submarines from Saab. This agreement is a significant step in strengthening Poland’s maritime capability, while also helping the countries deepen their collaboration on security and industrial policy.

On Monday 29 June, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will travel with several ministers to Gdynia, Poland for intergovernmental consultations. The focus will be on strengthened bilateral cooperation between Sweden and Poland, specifically with regard to regional security and defence. Mr Kristersson and Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk will hold a joint press conference during which they will announce a new development in the countries’ bilateral submarine cooperation.

Sweden is contributing USD 108 million to the US-initiated Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). The funds are part of the previously communicated support package for Ukraine.

On Thursday 18 June, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will attend the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels.

To mitigate security threats posed by certain property holdings, an inquiry has been appointed to propose changes to the Expropriation Act, i.e. the legislation under which a property owner may be compelled to transfer their property holding. The purpose is to ensure that Sweden’s Government can act when a property is at risk of being used in a way that threatens national security.

On 6 June, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in a ceremony at the Norrbotten Regiment base in Boden to mark the establishment of NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Finland (FLF Finland). As the framework nation, Sweden will lead FLF Finland, contributing a battalion battlegroup that will form the core of the FLF. The ceremony on 6 June will also mark a transfer of authority, placing these Swedish troops under NATO command.

At the invitation of the Minister for Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden, Dr. Pål Jonson, the Minister for Defence of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. José Múcio Monteiro Filho, paid an official visit to Sweden from 1 June to 4 June 2026.

On Thursday 4 June, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will host a press conference with Brazil’s Minister of Defence José Múcio.

Today, on Thursday 28 May, Ukraine announced its intention to purchase 20 Gripen E/F aircraft as a first step following the Letter of Intent signed by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 22 October 2025. In conjunction with the sale, Sweden will donate up to 16 JAS 39 Gripen C/D aircraft from the Swedish Armed Forces’ current fleet, together with advanced ammunition. To replace these donated aircraft, new modern Gripen E/F aircraft will be procured for the Swedish Air Force, in addition to those previously ordered.

On 20–21 May, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson received NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The meeting focused on Sweden’s total defence, civil defence and resilience.

NATO has appointed the, in Östergötland based, incubator LEAD as an accelerator site in the DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) network. This means that Sweden will have its own accelerator site in NATO’s efforts to accelerate the development of new technologies that can be used for both civil and military needs.

The Government has recently tasked the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration with initiating negotiations on the procurement of four frigates based on the FDI concept (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention) from France’s Naval Group. The four frigates, which will be part of Sweden’s Luleå class programme, are scheduled for delivery between 2030 and 2034.

On Thursday 21 May, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will receive NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for a bilateral meeting and joint visit focused on Sweden’s total defence, civil defence and resilience. In conjunction with the meeting, they will hold a joint press briefing in Revinge, Skåne.

On 12 May, EU defence ministers will meet in Brussels within the framework of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Continued EU support to Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and its implications for European defence and security, and strengthening European defence preparedness are on the agenda. Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will represent Sweden at the meeting.

On May 5-6 the Nordic Ministers of Defence gathered in Trøndelag under Norway's chairship of NORDEFCO in 2026.

On Thursday 7 May, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will host a press conference with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov

Together with Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius will visit Stockholm and Linköping on 26–27 March 2026. In Linköping, they will visit Saab to discuss Swedish missile capability and tour its operations. They will also view the GlobalEye aircraft system.