Swedish defence restructuring and its relations with the United States

When Sweden, as a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the spring of 2022, decided to apply for NATO membership, it meant a major shift in Swedish defence policy. In the new international situation, many perceived that it became inevitable to change the stance from the previous policy of neutrality to instead be part of a defence alliance. However, this policy change does not explain why the Swedish government took a further step in December 2023 and signed an agreement on US military bases on Swedish territory. A bilateral agreement that is not related to NATO membership. An agreement that does not impose any restrictions on the US military’s room for manoeuvre at future bases, nor does it prohibit the placement of nuclear weapons on Swedish soil.

A closer reading of the various defence reports from the Swedish Defence Committee, including “Allvarstid” from June 2023, which have formed the basis for these new in-depth collaborations with the United States, reveals that Sweden has adopted a US conflict description and strategy to meet various threats. This approach differs from that of other European countries, which have a more independent approach to Wasington.

In this project, we have interviewed members of parliament who were part of the defence committee, collected documentation from their study visits to other countries and other material that formed the basis for the decisions to deepen cooperation between Sweden and the United States. We have also compared the Swedish security strategy with those of Germany, France and the UK. The project will generate knowledge about what the Swedish dependence on the United States is based on in terms of the analysis of conflict scenarios in the world and how different threats can be countered. Furthermore, it will contribute to the discussion on how this can favour or counteract Swedish security interests in the future.