Sweden's defence plan falls short amid Russian threats
The Swedish government’s proposal on defence spending up to 2030 is deemed insufficient given the threat from Russia, and it does not sufficiently utilise Ukraine’s experiences, warned Swedish media on Wednesday.
The Swedish authorities aim for the military budget to represent 2.6 per cent of GDP by 2028, with the number of individuals ready to defend the country (professional soldiers, reservists, civilians) increasing from 88,000 currently to 115,000 by 2030. According to plans, this number is expected to reach 130,000 by 2035.
By 2030, the Swedish military is expected to comprise four brigades. This requirement was established by the previous government in 2020, but as of now, only one brigade is fully operational. Defence Minister Pål Jonson openly acknowledged on Tuesday, during the presentation of the spending plan, that "the pace of military investment is too slow."
The acquisition of ammunition and military equipment is intended to bolster the Swedish army’s defensive capabilities.
Sweden far behind
A columnist for the newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" highlighted that Sweden remains considerably behind, whereas Russia’s military expenditure under Putin has surged to levels reminiscent of the Soviet era.
Next year, Russia will increase its military spending by an amount twice the entire annual budget of the Swedish military, he emphasised.
The commentator observed that the Swedish government’s strategy does not include investments in long-range air defence, despite lessons from Ukraine and Israel underscoring such a necessity.
A similar sentiment was expressed by a columnist for "Svenska Dagbladet," who wrote on Wednesday that the government’s defence proposal is "good but insufficient."
The author referred to a report from the liberal think tank Stockholm Free World Forum, where experts argued for allocating 3 per cent of GDP to military armaments. "Parties in the Riksdag (parliament) must keep the Russians at bay," he emphasised.
