Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday will go to the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden, where he’s expected to address U.S. plans to reduce troop levels in Europe and push allies to accelerate their defense spending.
The two-day ministerial meeting, the first hosted by Sweden since it joined the alliance in 2024, will be one of the last senior-level NATO gatherings ahead of the full NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July.
“In Ankara, we must show that we are making real progress, that we are delivering. That means producing more, strengthening our supply chains and stockpiles, producing faster, and ensuring that our militaries have what they need to deter and defend,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Thursday during a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Although many long-standing NATO members have struggled to reach the alliance’s 2% of GDP benchmark on defense spending, Sweden hit the target in 2024. The Scandinavian country is expected to reach 2.8% of gross domestic product by the end of 2026 and 3.5% by 2030, officials said.
“We take our responsibilities as a NATO ally very seriously, with a strong sense of urgency and solidarity,” Mr. Kristersson said.
Mr. Rutte said NATO has become stronger since Sweden joined the alliance, ending more than 200 years of military nonalignment. The country is home to nearly 400 businesses that make up Sweden’s powerful defense industry.
“Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sweden has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine,” Mr. Rutte said. “Your military assistance includes tanks, combat vehicles, air defense, advanced weapon systems, ammunition training, and airborne surveillance and control aircraft.”
Sweden is also upgrading the country’s bomb shelters and rescue services in the aftermath of Russia’s relentless air and drone attacks against Ukraine, Mr. Kristersson said.
“We have learned a lot from Ukraine, which has suffered brutal attacks,” he said. “Sweden’s defense is a broad collective system … and not only the responsibility of the armed forces. Civil defense is crucial.”
After meeting with the NATO foreign ministers, Mr. Rubio will travel to India, where from Saturday to Tuesday he will discuss energy security, trade and defense cooperation during meetings with senior officials, the State Department said.
