Up to three warships will ensure the strengthening of NATO’s presence.
Sweden will contribute to the strengthening of NATO’s presence in the Baltic Sea with up to three military ships. The purpose of the increased presence is to prevent sabotage of undersea infrastructure, the Swedish government said on Sunday. TASR informs based on the report of the AP agency.
In addition to the ships, Sweden’s armed forces will also provide an ASC 890 reconnaissance aircraft. The Coast Guard will provide four ships that will patrol the Baltic Sea, and seven more will be on standby, the government statement added. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said during the annual security conference on Sunday that the country is not at war, but there is no peace either, AP reports, citing the Swedish news agency TT.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accepted Sweden as its 32nd member in March 2024. Before it, Finland, which shares a state border with the country and lies east of it, also became a member of the alliance. The decision of both countries to join NATO was influenced by Russia’s war against Ukraine, AP reminds. According to the Swedish government, this is the first case of providing the country’s armed forces to NATO for the purposes of defense and deterrence.
The decision was made in the context of a series of incidents in the waters of the Baltic Sea, which raise concerns about possible Russian activities in this area, AP writes. Since 2023, ten submarine cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea, affecting Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Germany and Sweden. At least two incidents were caused by ships pulling anchors along the bottom, AP reminds.
