United States will have access to 17 military bases in Sweden
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson (Getty Images)
The United States and Sweden have inked a defense cooperation agreement, granting the American military access to 17 military bases in Sweden, according to SVT.
The agreement was signed by the defense ministers of the United States and Sweden at the Pentagon on December 5. Under the terms of the deal, the U.S. will gain access to 17 military bases in Sweden, including the military-naval base in the Stockholm archipelago.
Additionally, the agreement empowers the U.S. to deploy military personnel, conduct training exercises, and make stops for refueling by both aircraft and ships.
"This doesn't mean that all 17 locations will be used, but it's work that we've done in close dialogue, based on where it's most important for them from a military perspective to be able to store defense equipment, for example," explained Sweden's Defense Minister, Pal Jonson.
The head of Sweden's Ministry of Defense also expressed hope for his country's swift accession to NATO. Lloyd Austin, the head of the Pentagon, remarked before signing the agreement that having Sweden as an ally is better than having Sweden as a friend.
For the defense agreement to take effect, the Swedish parliament must ratify it and amend several laws. The Defense Minister anticipates the agreement coming into force next year.
Sweden seeks NATO membership
Following the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine, both Finland and Sweden declared their intention to join NATO. Finland met all the conditions and became the first to join the Alliance.
Türkiye is obstructing Sweden's membership, demanding the extradition of participants and supporters of the Workers' Party of Kurdistan from Stockholm. Türkiye labels the party as a terrorist organization.
Recently, the NATO Secretary-General urged Turkey to give the green light to Sweden regarding its accession to the Alliance.
