Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson speaks to the press as she arrives for an emergency European Union (EU) summit at The European Council Building, in Brussels, Belgium 24 February 2022;
Credit: John Thys / Reuters
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's government wants to increase military spending to 2% of GDP "as soon as practically possible" in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Thursday 10 March 2022.
"Today, we present a new initiative with a clear message to the Swedish people and to the world around us. Sweden's defence capability must be greatly strengthened," PM Andersson told a news conference.
As the Cold War ended, Sweden's defence spending as a proportion of gross domestic product has fallen from 3% in the early 1980s to around 1% in recent years.
