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Pål Jonson stated that all European countries should have the right to join NATO if they meet the required criteria, arguing that Ukraine would become a major security asset for the Alliance due to its battlefield experience, military innovation, and defense-industrial capacity.
According to UATV English, Jonson made the remarks during POLITICO Speakeasy.
The Swedish defense minister stressed that no outside actor should have veto power over NATO enlargement decisions.
“All European countries should have the right to join NATO if they meet the requirements. No one should have a veto over that. This is our position,” Jonson said.
While acknowledging that there is currently no consensus among NATO members regarding Ukraine’s accession, Jonson argued that Ukraine should be viewed not as a burden, but as a future pillar of European security.
He pointed specifically to the scale of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the country’s wartime innovations, and its rapidly expanding defense industry.
“Where else in Europe can we find 110 brigades? Where else in Europe can we find such an innovative system as the one Ukraine has created? Where else can we find such industrial potential?” Jonson said.
The Swedish minister also noted that Ukraine’s defense sector has become one of the most dynamic and competitive in Europe. According to him, Kyiv accelerated weapons production after Russia’s full-scale invasion by introducing deregulation, privatization, and greater market competition within the defense industry.
Earlier, Karel Řehka also described Ukraine’s future NATO membership as a “logical step.”
At the same time, Mark Rutte recently stated that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is not currently on the Alliance’s immediate agenda, noting that the issue continues to face resistance from several member states, including Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, and the United States.
Polls cited by Ukrainian media indicate that a majority of Ukrainians support joining NATO, although public trust in the Alliance itself remains mixed.
