During his visit to Estonia, Minister of Defence of Sweden Pål Jonson was awarded the Estonian Ministry of Defence Cross of Merit, Third Class, for his outstanding contributions to advancing bilateral defence cooperation.
The meeting between Ministers Pevkur and Jonson focused primarily on the transformed security environment in the Baltic Sea region. The ministers emphasized that the maritime link between Estonia and Sweden is a strategic artery, critical for both Estonia's military logistics and the country's overall national resilience. „The security of the Baltic Sea is our shared and indivisible responsibility. Sweden's accession to NATO has made our regional defence more cohesive and secure,“ said Minister Pevkur.
Discussing preparations for the NATO Summit in Ankara, the Estonian Minister of Defence emphasized that the focus must remain on demonstrating tangible progress by Allies in reaching the 5% of GDP defence spending target and fulfilling NATO capability goals. He added that burden-sharing must not undermine NATO's collective defensive posture.
Estonia thanked Sweden for joining the Eastern Flank Watch initiative and stressed the importance of continued coordination in strengthening the Alliance's Eastern Flank. Additionally, Minister Pevkur commended Sweden’s significant contribution to supporting Ukraine and the IT Coalition, which aims to bolster Ukraine’s capabilities in information technology, communications, and cyber defence. Regarding Ukraine’s future, both ministers agreed that Ukraine must not be pressured into making concessions in exchange for hollow promises. Russia must not be granted a veto over Ukraine’s sovereign decisions regarding its future.
Gallery here
Additional information: [email protected]