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Sweden’s Prime Minister Discusses Defense Industry Dependencies

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – During a recent announcement, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed confidence in the safety of procuring military equipment from the United States. He acknowledged, however, that it could be beneficial for European nations to reduce their reliance on American suppliers for defense resources.

This sentiment echoes similar concerns raised by Canada, another NATO ally, which has questioned its dependence on the U.S. for its security needs. Following tensions related to a trade dispute with the Trump administration, Canada has initiated a review of its fighter jet procurement agreement with Lockheed Martin.

At a recent EU summit in Brussels, where discussions involving the enhancement of military capabilities for both Ukraine and EU member states took place, Kristersson was queried regarding the implications of acquiring U.S. military hardware. His response was firm: “No, I would not say that at all. We have good experiences from cooperation with the U.S. defence industry.”

Additionally, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of fortifying Europe’s own defense sector. “Both the Swedish defence industry and many European countries would do well from being a little less dependent on the U.S. defence industry,” he noted.

Amidst these discussions, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged leaders to translate their verbal expressions of support for Ukraine into concrete actions. This appeal comes at a time when former President Trump is advocating for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict and is seeking improved relations with Russia.

The situation was further complicated this month when Washington temporarily halted intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, prompting concerns about the risks associated with overreliance on American defense systems.

Source
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