Sweden will send a mechanized battalion to Latvia as contribution to the Canadian led NATO EFP when Sweden formally join Nato.
“We welcome this decision from the Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson given at the stage from the National Defense Summit on Monday (8th of January). It is a well needed reinforcement and it is a symbol of Sweden’s commitment to common security within the Alliance”, says Patrik Oksanen, resident Senior Fellow at Stockholm Free World Forum.
The contribution from the armoured South Scanian regiment (P7) was first proposed in June last year in a report from the Swedish security oriented think tank Stockholm Free World Forum.
“The decision is also a step to further deepen Swedish and Canadian cooperation in the high north and the Arctic. This region is going to be more and more in the hot spot of confrontation between West and Russia and China, from today’s hybrid influence with sabotage up to a full scale war. In order to preserve the peace and freedom we need to do a lot more together and urgency is crucial”, says Patrik Oksanen.
Brief released in June 2023: Sweden as Nato member and the total defense recommendations from SFWS
See also another brief on Nordic-Baltic cooperation released today: United We Stand – A roadmap to create an urgently needed common Nordic – Baltic security culture for the era of multiple and complex crises and existential threats