Sweden To Spend Over 2% Of GDP On Defense After Joining NATO - Supreme Commander

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2022) After joining NATO, Sweden will need to spend over 2% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, Micael Byden, the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, said.

"With a high probability, more than two percent of GDP will be needed," Byden said in an interview, published by Swedish broadcaster SVT on Friday.

He specified that defense appropriations must be gradually increased to reach 2% of GDP in 2026.

Sweden's current defense budget is at around 1.

2% of GDP, according to SVT.

At the start of November, Byden said that the Swedish government should not set any red lines when entering NATO, including on hosting nuclear weapons, as setting preconditions ahead of its admission would only create friction and hinder the entry process.

Sweden and its neighbor Finland simultaneously formally applied to join NATO in May in response to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.