Sweden Doesn’t Rule Out Russian Attack on Baltic, Defense Minister Warns

Sweden does not rule out the possibility of Russia attacking the country for control of the Baltic Sea, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated in an interview with Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita.

The Swedish Minister emphasized that Russia’s actions in Ukraine show that the Kremlin is willing to take serious military and political risks.

“Moscow has moved some of its landing forces from the Baltic to the Black Sea, but its fleet in St. Petersburg and Königsberg remains largely intact. Russia poses a threat to Sweden, as it does to the rest of NATO. We cannot rule out a Russian attack on our country,” he continued.

Jonson added that following Poland’s example, Sweden is significantly increasing its defense investments. 

“They have doubled over the past four years. This is absolutely necessary, given decades of underinvestment in the armed forces,” he said.

In the 2025 Budget Bill, the Swedish government proposes an additional SEK 13 billion ($1.25 billion) in funding for military defense. This represents a 10 percent increase compared to the 2024 budget.

“The security situation demands a stronger defense. Russia’s war against Ukraine is a defining factor for security in Sweden’s neighborhood. As the Budget Bill makes clear, the Government proposes significant resource increases to strengthen Sweden’s defense capabilities and enable extensive growth of the country’s total defense,“ states a press release from the Swedish Ministry of Defense.

Jonson additionally emphasized that there is no other country of 10 million people in the world that is as capable of building fighter jets and submarines on the level that Sweden does. 

In response to the Russian threat, Sweden is "implementing an ambitious program of expanding" its renowned navy, Jonson stated.

Sweden applied to join NATO after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, becoming the military alliance’s 32nd member in March, 2024.

On June 14, the Swedish air force deployed a JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet after a Russian Su-24 tactical bomber entered restricted airspace near the southern tip of Gotland, a strategic Baltic Sea island, according to a statement from the country’s Armed Forces.