Ukraine signs security deal with Sweden, Norway, Iceland

During a visit to Stockholm for a summit with Nordic leaders on Friday (31 May), Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed security deals with Swedish, Norwegian, and Icelandic prime ministers, while insisting on the need for his country to obtain certain military equipment such as the American Patriot defence system.

All five Nordic countries have now signed a military agreement with Ukraine.

Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson signed a security deal as part of a series of Swedish commitments to Ukraine made in recent days.

The Swedish government announced that the scope of Sweden’s bilateral agreement with Ukraine amounts to at least SEK 105 billion (€9 billion) for the 2022-2026 period, with a focus on military assistance. Funds for reconstruction and other support are also included.

“Our support will not stop,” Kristersson said during a doorstep ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, who declared that “only together can we stop the madness from Moscow. We need to get that job done as soon as possible”.

The funds agreed by the Swedish government had already been announced in the form of a three-year SEK 75 billion (€6 billion) military aid package presented last week.

“Today, Sweden presents its three-year plan for military aid to Ukraine, totalling 75 billion SEK (~€6,5 billion). Together with the previous Swedish support packages, this will bring Sweden’s total military aid to Ukraine to over 100 billion SEK (~€8.6 billion),” Swedish Defence minister Pål Jonson wrote on X on 22 May.

According to the Ukrainian president, Russia is trying to expand the war and is preparing provocations in the Baltic region.

Norway, represented by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, also signed a similar long-term security agreement, which commits Oslo to supporting Ukraine for the next ten years, providing NOK 2.7 billion (EUR 237 million) for air defence measures. In addition, NOK 750 million (65 million) is being provided for maritime support.

“This is a broad agreement on how we can help build resilience in Ukraine”,  Støre told Norwegian broadcaster NRK, adding that new Nordic agreements will improve the Ukrainians’ capacity to defend themselves.

Iceland, represented by Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, signed a similar agreement whereas Finland and Denmark have previously entered into separate military agreements with Ukraine.

“We are pragmatic and practical people in the Nordic Region. We listen to what you say about what you need and we’ll try to give it to you,’ Støre told a joint press conference at the end of the meeting.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the situation on the ground “is critical, and the weapons assistance processes need to move faster than they have so far”.

“We just need to speed up and scale up now.”

According to the Swedish government, the agreement will give Ukraine better conditions for long-term defence planning against Russia and the development of a modern defence force.

The leaders further discussed how the Nordic countries can increase their production of ammunition and help boost Ukraine’s own weapons production, Reuters reports.

The Ukrainian president also insisted on the necessity for his country to receive some military equipment such as the American surface-to-air missile system Patriot.

“Today we discussed how we can speed up the delivery of Patriot to Ukraine”, he said.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

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