Swedish lawmakers will vote Tuesday on a contentious defense agreement with the United States, which critics fear could pave the way for the deployment of nuclear weapons and permanent U.S. bases on Swedish soil.
The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), signed in December, is a significant move for Sweden, which ended two centuries of neutrality by joining NATO in March.
The DCA grants the U.S. access to 17 military bases and training areas in Sweden, allowing the storage of weapons, equipment, and ammunition. Opponents argue the agreement should explicitly prohibit nuclear weapons on Swedish territory.
Daniel Hellden, co-leader of the opposition Green Party, criticized the agreement’s vagueness, stating, “The agreement has no limits. It opens up the possibility of nuclear weapons on Swedish soil… And it is so vaguely written that the government could even allow them in peacetime.”
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right minority government, supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats, insists the deal respects Swedish sovereignty.
Defense Minister Pal Jonson emphasized that Sweden remains in control of what types of weapons are allowed on its territory, and that permanent bases or nuclear weapons are not necessary, as agreed during Sweden’s NATO accession.
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For the bill to pass, it needs a 75 percent majority in the Riksdag legislature, which requires more than half of its 349 MPs. The Left and Green parties, which both opposed NATO membership, hold 42 seats—insufficient to block the agreement alone.
Two Left Party MPs labeled the government’s handling of the agreement as “naive” and “foolish,” arguing it compromises Sweden’s safety due to the U.S.’s nuclear policy.
The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Association highlighted that unlike Norway and Denmark’s agreements, Sweden’s DCA lacks a clause against nuclear weapons. They argue that a similar clause would strengthen the Nordic region and contribute to de-escalation with Russia.
Prime Minister Kristersson recently suggested that nuclear weapons might be considered in Sweden during wartime, a stance criticized by Left Party MPs as contrary to Swedish values.
Defense Minister Jonson defended the DCA, stating it enhances Sweden’s ability to receive swift military support from the U.S. in a crisis, thus acting as a deterrent and stabilizing force, making Sweden safer.