Pål Jonson

On Tuesday 23 May, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting with defence ministers in Brussels.

Tartu, Estonia 2 March 2023. Check against delivery.

On Thursday 16 March, the Government presented a strategic partnership with the United Kingdom to support Ukraine. The cooperation aims to improve logistics and maintenance of the Archer artillery units that Sweden intends to donate to Ukraine. It is proposed that eight units is to be donated, of which two are part of the maintenance system. The cooperation includes authorisation to sell 14 Archer artillery units to the UK, which allows the UK to donate the AS90 artillery system to Ukraine. An additional amending budget also includes proposals to authorise the donation of previously announced Leopard 2 battle tanks and to provide funds for the replenishment of defence equipment.

On Wednesday 19 April, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will receive United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. The visit will take place at the Muskö Naval Base, where the ministers will convene for a bilateral meeting, hold a joint press conference and take part in a demonstration of the Swedish Armed Forces’ military capabilities.

Today the Government has presented investment proposals that will be included in its Spring Amending Budget. The proposals aim to create conditions for the continued growth of Sweden’s military defence and make preparations for NATO membership. Increased appropriations totalling SEK 660 million are proposed in the Spring Amending Budget for 2023. In addition, it is proposed that the Swedish Armed Forces’ authorisation to place orders be increased by SEK 16.78 billion.

On 7–8 March, EU defence ministers will gather for an informal meeting in Stockholm.

Today, 24 February, the Government presented a new extensive support package for Ukraine. It includes subsystems of the HAWK anti-aircraft system and essential parts of the IRIS-T anti-aircraft system, in cooperation with Germany. Sweden also intends to provide up to ten Leopard 2 battle tanks.

On 1 January, Sweden assumed the chairmanship of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO). As chair, Sweden is focusing on continued support to Ukraine and adapting cooperation to the new defence and security policy situation in Europe.

Opening speech by the Minister for Defence Pål Jonson at the conference on security and defence within the framework of Sweden's presidency of the EU on 30 January 2023, Uppsala. Check against delivery.

After a meeting of the new National Security Council on 24 January, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson held a press conference on the NATO accession process and Swedish security.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Finland’s Minister of Defence Mikko Savola have signed a Finnish-Swedish letter of intent that will enable Finland to provide Ukraine with heavy military weapons at a replacement cost of more than SEK 4.11 billion (EUR 370 million).

The Government today presented a large three-part support package to Ukraine. The package includes a procurement cooperation scheme, instructions to the Swedish Armed Forces to prepare the transfer of the Archer Artillery System, and the largest defence equipment package to date. This includes recoilless rifles with ammunition, anti-tank weapons, assault rifles, mine clearance equipment, Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) with ammunition, and light anti-armour weapon Robot 57 (NLAW), worth SEK 4.3 billion. 

Speech by Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, delivered at the Folk och Försvar Annual National Conference in Sälen on 9 January 2023. Check against delivery.

On 1 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson is taking part in the Berlin Security Conference.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will travel to Oslo to take part in the NORDEFCO ministerial meeting.

Continued support to Ukraine and the EU’s closer cooperation with NATO were in focus at the EU defence ministers meeting in Brussels on 15 November. This was Pål Jonson’s first EU meeting as Sweden’s Minister for Defence.

(New version) On Friday 18 November, Minister of Defence Pål Jonson will travel to Canada to attend the Halifax International Security Forum (HISF) on 18–19 November.

The Government is moving ahead on a winter package to Ukraine. The package is the largest to date and includes military and humanitarian support and support for rehabilitation of critical infrastructure.

On Monday 24 October, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson visited Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen in Helsinki. It was Mr Jonson’s first visit abroad as Minister for Defence.