Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson has urged Europe to strengthen its preparedness for armed conflict due to the growing threat posed by Russia.
Speaking in Berlin ahead of a meeting with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, Jonson emphasized the need for a “new European mindset,” shifting from a peace-time mentality to war readiness.
“We must adopt a new European mentality, moving from a peace-time mindset to war readiness,” Jonson stated at an event hosted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, as reported by DPA.
Jonson highlighted Russia’s massive militarization, calling it a “more lethal” force making significant advancements in long-range weapons and electronic warfare. He stressed the importance of closer coordination among NATO member states to enhance collective defense.
“There is a wide disparity within the alliance regarding defense investments. This is not good. I don’t want to see fragmentation in defense spending,” he said.
After maintaining neutrality during the Cold War, Sweden joined NATO last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jonson described Ukraine as a shield—or “sword”—against Russian military expansion, while also noting that financial support for Ukraine is increasingly concentrated among fewer NATO allies.
Jonson further called for closer bilateral defense cooperation with Germany, advocating standardization and long-term contracts to strengthen joint capabilities. Both Berlin and Stockholm are pursuing similar defense strategies, investing record amounts after decades of limited spending, in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the Russian threat in the Baltic Sea region.
