Stockholm: Sweden will fully embrace NATO’s upcoming defence spending benchmark, which calls for member states to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) toward defence and security. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson made the announcement during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Stockholm on Friday.

Kristersson confirmed that Sweden, NATO’s newest member, is committed to meeting this elevated target, which is expected to be officially proposed at the NATO summit in The Hague. The new framework suggests that 3.5% of a member country’s GDP should be designated for core military spending, while an additional 1.5% would go toward broader defence-related areas, including civil defence, cybersecurity, and infrastructure resilience.

“I can confirm that Sweden will meet NATO’s new 5% defence spending objective. A minimum of 3.5% will be channelled into strengthening our core military forces in line with the alliance’s evolving capability needs,” Kristersson said. “The remaining 1.5% will support complementary efforts such as civil protection and cybersecurity, which are just as vital in today’s complex security landscape.”

Currently, Sweden spends around 2.7% of its GDP on defence and had previously committed to reaching 3.5% by the year 2030. However, with this announcement, the country has signalled a significant acceleration in its defence investment roadmap.

The Swedish prime minister emphasized that this decision not only demonstrates Sweden’s strong commitment to NATO but also reflects the country’s recognition of the rapidly changing global security environment. He added that bolstering both military capability and civilian preparedness is essential for NATO’s collective strength and resilience.

NATO’s proposed 5% threshold is part of a broader effort to ensure that member nations are better equipped to handle conventional threats as well as emerging challenges such as cyber warfare, hybrid attacks, and critical infrastructure sabotage. Sweden’s pledge marks a notable milestone in its deepening integration into the alliance’s strategic and defence planning structures.