Stockholm —-In a statement made today to Swedish public radio, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonsson said: “Nuclear weapons on Swedish soil cannot be ruled out in times of war.” Negotiations with France about nuclear cooperation are ongoing, the radio reported.
As the US withdraws from Europe, there is growing discussion about relying more on European nuclear forces. The first sign of a change in Swedish policy was revealed from the World Economic Forum in Davos by French President Emmanuel Macron, who in a panel said he had been talking there with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson about French nuclear weapons cooperation with Sweden.
Since 2023, before Sweden joined NATO, the parties in the parliament have agreed that there should be no nuclear weapons on Swedish soil in peacetime. However, unlike Denmark, in Norway and Finland there is no law against it. Currently there is no similar agreement on what applies in times of war, even though the NATO membership includes coordination with the nuclear strategy of NATO.
