After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the end of the Cold War, large parts of the Swedish defense were dismantled. Many believed in eternal peace and hoped that Russia would embark on a more peaceful path.
With this as an argument, Swedish politicians could rapidly close down regiments and air flotillas.
The National Conference on People and Defense was seen for a few years as a marginalized club for those closest to the bereaved. Few outside the walls of Högfjällshotel were particularly interested in what was said here.
Former Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (M) called the defense a “special interest” during a meeting with Riksdag journalists in 2013. Reinfeldt probably regrets this statement. Already the following year in 2014, Russia attacked Ukraine and in 2022 the full-scale invasion began. Sweden is once again equipping itself and is now a member of NATO.
The state’s most important task
And Reinfeldt’s party mate, the current Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, smiles when the old quote comes up. No one would call defense a special interest today. On the contrary. Kristersson himself says in his speech that the defense of Sweden is the state’s most important task. A totally opposite point of view than that expressed by Reinfeldt.
In a situation where Russia is seen as a serious threat for a long time, where the war in Ukraine continues with undiminished intensity and where the hybrid attacks against Sweden are being stepped up, the defense discussion is rather about how the defense can be further strengthened.
The ink has barely had time to dry on the total defense decision that the Riksdag made a decision on last autumn, and which involves large financial additions, before the prime minister opens up new budget increases.
30 billion more
The background is the talks being held within NATO that the countries should be required to increase their defense budgets to at least three percent of GDP.
With Donald Trump as president, there is also concern in Europe that the US’s involvement in NATO will decrease. The consequence may be that European countries have to take greater responsibility for their own security and defense.
If Sweden is to spend three percent of GDP on defence, this means that the defense budget in 2030 will be SEK 215 billion a year instead of SEK 185 billion, according to the current parliamentary decision.
So a further increase of SEK 30 billion.