21.05.2026 Helsingborg The Secretary Genral Mark Rutte, and Prime minister of Sweden Ulf Kristensson open the two days event aimed at investing in military spending.
The government. estimates that NATO’s goal of spnding of five percent of GDP on defense will be reached as early as 2030, that
was Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s pledge to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at a press conference at Revinge, Skåne. Boeing a new member of the Alliance Sweden takes its oblgations rigriously.
A year ago, NATO countries agreed to increase defense spending to five percent of GDP, of which 3.5 percent would be invested into military defense purposes, while the other one and a half percent could be spent on military-civil projects, which have significance for civil economy as well.
I welcome your plans to move quickly and increase defense spending to 3.5 percent by 2030, and I hope that more allies follow this accelerated timetable, Mark Rutte said.
The parties in the Riksdag already agreed a year ago to aim for 2030.
Russian shadow fleet
The statements were made in connection with Kristersson and Rutte visiting Revinge, outside Lund, where training of rescue personnel for civil defense is being conducted.
At the press conference, Sweden received more praise from Rutte.
“I commend Sweden for the measures it is taking against the Russian shadow fleet,” says NATO’s Secretary General.
He points out that the shadow fleet helps Russia circumvent sanctions and finances the war of aggression against Ukraine.
“It is important for Sweden, for the Baltic Sea region and for the security of all NATO allies.”
Rutte also thanked Sweden for its support for Ukraine. He reiterated that Sweden has made NATO stronger with its advanced military capability, world-class defense technology, a sharp defense industry and a total defense, where civil society cooperates with military defense. Something that is unusual internationally.
« I know that I can count on Sweden to continue to be an example in NATO » Rutte said.
The visit to Revinge was made hours before the first meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Swedish soil in Helsingborg, where much is about preparing for the NATO summit in Ankara in July.
Officially, the central issues are how the growing defense spending should be quickly converted into military capability, how the defense industry should be induced to produce more and how long-term support for Ukraine should be secured.
However there are also questions to be answered by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It is also expected to clarify the United States’ plans of reduced military présence in Europe. Rutte, whoc called President Trump « Daddy » was not willing to explain the new realities of engagement.
The US will remain committed with its nuclear umbrella and with conventional forces, he underlined. Futhermore he indicateur that troop withdrawals announced by the U.S. are not significant in numbers and will not have an impact of the European defence capabilites.
Rutte also downplayed the profond rift between the Trump administration and other NATO countries, which have unfolded recently in the context of Iran war, and earlier with ambitions in Greendland.
« We are democracies, we love to debate, but in the end we always agree, all 32 countries » Rutte said, pretending, that Trump’s autoritarian impulses were a form of democratic discussion. In vain.
