– Det finns ingen Natoskyldighet att delta i alla insatser eller aktiviteter. Vad premiärministern och jag kommit överens om i dag är att Ungern inte ska blockera andra länder från att gå med på ett löfte om ekonomiskt stöd till Ukraina, och en ledande roll för Nato i att samordna stödet, säger Stoltenberg på en presskonferens i Budapest.

– Ungern har givits de garantier som vi behövde. Vi har en rättvis uppgörelse, säger Orbán. […]

Ungern har hittills sagt nej till båda projekten, men är nu nöjt med de garantier som getts om att man inte behöver vara med.

– Ingen ungersk personal kommer att delta i de här aktiviteterna och inga ungerska pengar kommer att användas, förklarar Stoltenberg. Läs artikel

Interpellation 2023/24:784 Hotbilden mot Sverige, av Elsa Widding (-)

1. Vilka skäl ligger till grund för ministerns beslut om vilket krigsmateriel och vilka flygplan som Sverige kan erbjuda Ukraina?

2. Hur bedömer ministern hotbilden mot Sverige i ett scenario där Ukraina vinner kriget, det vill säga, kommer hotbilden för Sveriges del att öka eller minska vid ett sådant utfall, och avser ministern att ta några initiativ utifrån sin bedömning?

3. Bedömer ministern att hotbilden kommer att bli mer existentiell för Sveriges del i ett scenario där Ukraina förlorar kriget mot Ryssland, på vilket sätt i så fall, och hur avser ministern agera utifrån sin bedömning? Lyssna på debatten

We, the MDCP members convened today the first annual ministerial meeting of the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine (MDCP), at the 2024 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin. We acknowledged the support provided to Ukraine since February 2022 and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to continue supporting Ukraine in view of Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war against the country. We will continue to coordinate our efforts to meet Ukraine’s financing needs, preserve macroeconomic and financial stability, and develop a sustainable, resilient, inclusive, gender-responsive, and green recovery based on strong democratic institutions, the rule of law, and anti-corruption measures. Our unified economic support totals more than USD 142.8 billion to date. Ukraine has already received more than USD 74 billion from our countries in budget support, the majority of the USD 85 billion provided by all donors. Läs uttalandet

The Kremlin has issued a flurry of statements in the past few weeks that suggest that Russia is ready to negotiate a diplomatic settlement to the war in Ukraine.

The joint statement issued by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping after their May 16–17 state visit included the statement that “both sides emphasized that dialogue is a good way to resolve the Ukraine crisis.” […]

The logical place to start, according to Putin and other Russian officials, would be where the Istanbul Communiqué ended. This idea was first raised by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who hosted the first round of Russian–Ukrainian peace talks in Belarus, on April 11, 2024. “Take the document (that you once showed me), put it on the table and work on it,” Lukashenko suggested. “This is a sensible position. There is an acceptable position for Ukraine as well. They were ready to sign it after all. ‘Of course,’ Vladimir Putin confirmed.” Läs artikel

The pair of Tu-95MS bombers that on Monday flew north of Finnmark region had empty external pylons for cruise missiles under the wings. For Norway, though, the growing concern is not only Russia’s cruise missiles, but the more advanced short-range ballistic missiles, like the Iskander-M and Kinzhal. Weapons that can hit targets up north within minutes.

Russia’s Northern Fleet fighter jets escorted the long-range bombers from Olenya air base on the Kola Peninsula as the planes headed west over the Barents Sea. These are the very same bombers that frequently fly south to launch cruise missiles against targets in Ukraine.

Although Norway have very limited protection up North against low flying Russian cruise missiles, such weapons can be taken down. The war in Ukraine shows the importance of anti-missile defense.

The Storting, Norway’s Parliament, on Tuesday unanimously approved the long-term Defence Plan which stipulates a doubling of Surface-to-Air missile system. Domestically developed NASAMS will be improved to better take down drones and missiles.

New in this plan is long-range air defence against Russia’s short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM). That is weapons practically flying via space before half-steering, falling down at a target in supersonic speed. Läs artikel

Ryssland har under natten mot onsdagen avfyrat flera ballistiska robotar mot Kiev. Flera explosioner har hörts kring staden, men det finns hittills inga uppgifter om skador.

Ukraina uppger att luftvärnet skjutit ned fem robotar och 24 attackdrönare under natten. Luftvärnet kring Kiev är starkt och brukar i regel klara av att skjuta ned alla robotar och attackdrönare som avfyras mot staden. […]

New York Times och nyhetsbyrån AP rapporterar nu att USA:s president Joe Biden har beslutat skicka ytterligare ett Patriotsystem till Ukraina.

Enligt New York Times källor flyttas systemet från Polen och det kommer vara på plats i Ukraina inom några dagar. Det kommer sannolikt placeras i nordöstra Ukraina för att skydda miljonstaden Charkiv där tiotals civila dödats i ryska terrorbombningar under våren och sommaren. Läs artikel

Den 13–14 juni deltar Pål Jonson i Natos försvarsministermöte i Bryssel, för första gången sedan Sverige blev fullvärdig medlem i Nato. […]

Mötet i Bryssel består av tre sessioner – en session med försvarsministrarna, en session i Nato-Ukrainarådet där även Ukrainas försvarsminister och EU:s höga representant för utrikesfrågor och säkerhetspolitik deltar, och en session i Natos grupp för kärnvapenplanering (Nuclear Planning Group, NPG). Det blir Sveriges första möte i NPG.

Ett möte inom Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) kommer också att hållas i anslutning till Natos försvarsministermöte. UDCG består av över 50 länder som ger omfattande militärt stöd till Ukraina. Mötet leds gemensamt av USA:s och Ukrainas försvarsministrar. Läs pressmeddelande

After 247 days of war in Gaza, the Security Council today adopted by 14 votes in favour — with the Russian Federation abstaining — a resolution proposing a comprehensive three-phase ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza, urging both Israel and Hamas to implement it fully and without delay and condition.

By resolution 2735 (2024), the 15-member organ noted that the implementation of this proposal would enable the following outcomes to spread over three phases, the first of which would include an immediate, full and complete ceasefire with the release of hostages; the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed; the exchange of Palestinian prisoners; withdrawal of Israeli forces from the populated areas in Gaza; the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes; and the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout Gaza.

Phase two would see a permanent end to hostilities in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area.  Phase three would mark the start of a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages still in the Strip to their families. Läs pressmeddelande

– Dette er positivt for Norge, Norden og Nato. Det innebærer også et stort potensial for et enda tettere nordisk og alliert forsvarssamarbeid, sier utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide.

Utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide og USAs Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Sharon E. Hudson-Dean ved USAs ambassade i Oslo møttes i dag for å utveksle diplomatiske noter. Det innebærer at avtalen om å inkludere åtte nye omforente områder under tilleggsavtalen mellom Norge og USA om forsvarssamarbeid (Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA) trer i kraft. Omforente områder er steder som Norge, USA og andre allierte styrker kan bruke i fellesskap for militære formål. Stortinget samtykket til avtalen om forsvarssamarbeid mellom Norge og USA i juni 2022. Läs artikel

A Russian military plane has breached Finnish airspace for the first time since the country joined Nato, flying at least 2.5km inside the country’s territory, officials in Finland said.

Russia confirmed that it had multiple bombers and missile carriers operating in the Baltic region but did not specifically comment on the alleged airspace breach.

Finland’s defence ministry said one of the aircraft entered Finland’s airspace for approximately two minutes on Monday morning. Finnish officials said they are taking the “suspected territorial violation seriously” and an investigation has been started.

The Kremlin uses such operations to deliberately undermine Finland’s territorial and sovereign integrity, the US-based think-tank The Institute for the Study of War said.

It comes after Kyiv said it had struck a Russian Su-57 stealth fighter worth up to £28m around 370 miles from the frontline using long-range drones. Läs artikel

Ukraine’s Western sponsors crossed a red line when they allowed Kiev to use their weapons to strike at targets in Russia, Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner said.

Several NATO members have openly supported the use of Western-produced armaments for cross-border strikes against Russia in recent weeks, ostensibly in a limited manner. The West insists that it is still not a party to the conflict, and only supports Kiev’s efforts to stall Russia’s push into Kharkov Region, which Moscow launched to move the line of contact away from the border to prevent further Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilians.

“A red line has been crossed,” Tanner said when asked about the US, France, and Germany granting permission to use their weapons in cross-border strikes. When the interviewer asked how else Kiev could stall the Kharkov operation, the Austrian Defense Minister replied that “as a militarily neutral state, it is not our place to judge.”

The Austrian defense chief added that she is at least “pleased that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has clarified that NATO will not be sending troops to Ukraine.” Läs artikel