Amendments to the state budget for 2022 - Defense materiel for Ukraine
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
M argues that the new military support package is the largest so far and that winter equipment is crucial for the soldiers 1. S supports the proposal to donate air defense systems, ammunition, and winter equipment 2, but emphasizes that trade-offs against national needs are necessary for Sweden's defense capability 2. SD welcomes the largest military support and considers it self-evident that Sweden helps Ukraine 3. V supports the proposal because Sweden has a responsibility for the international rule of law 4. C considers that every weapon used to defeat Putin is used for Sweden's security 5, but argues that the economic aid is insufficient 5. KD considers it morally right to strengthen Ukraine 6. MP considers that Sweden should continue the support and that there must be a total ban on the import of coal and oil. L supports the proposal, but considers that Sweden should help Russia's neighbors to defend themselves. L argues that it is important to arm them more effectively than Sweden, that Sweden can never trust Russia, that Ukraine and Moldova should become Nato members and that Sweden must never lower its guard.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Edward Riedl (M)
Mr. Speaker! I would like to extend a big thank you to the members of the Committee on Finance and all the parties in the Riksdag for the rapid handling of this matter, which concerns the winter package of support for Ukraine that the government presented yesterday. A united Riksdag stands behind this. This unity shows how strong the Swedish support for Ukraine is.
The package is the largest so far and contains military and humanitarian support as well as support for the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure. The military support package amounts to a sum of over 3 billion kronor, which makes it larger than all the previous eight packages with military support combined, and the humanitarian package is the largest that Sweden has sent so far.
The new military support package is planned to include a qualified air defense weapons system including qualified ammunition, personnel carriers, personal equipment including winter equipment and body armor, targeting systems, tents as well as camouflage netting.
Ukraine has particularly underlined the need for winter equipment, as it is a prerequisite for the soldiers to be able to endure warfare during this winter. We are therefore sending, for example, thermal jackets and thermal trousers in this support package. The tents that we are sending contain heating packs, which is important ahead of the cold season that now awaits. This aid will, Mr. Speaker, be crucial for all the soldiers who are now fighting for their lives and for their country's freedom.
The new humanitarian and emergency aid covers both Ukraine and Moldova and amounts to approximately 720 million kronor. The Riksdag does not decide on these funds today. They are nevertheless worth mentioning in this context, as this should be seen as a whole. The support shall contribute to helping Ukraine and Moldova get through a winter that, judging by all indications, will become extremely cold and tough for these countries. It shall help the most vulnerable with access to food, water, sanitation, winter equipment, blankets, and heat sources.
The support shall also contribute to beginning to lay a foundation for the enormous reconstruction work that now awaits in Ukraine. Bridges must be restored and roads linked together, all so that society can function again. Concretely, the acute aid includes, among other things, 250 million kronor to the World Food Programme and 70 million kronor to the Red Cross. These are funds that will make an enormous difference in people's everyday lives in this vulnerable situation.
The past year has made it very clear that we can no longer take anything for granted, not least when it comes to peace and freedom in our part of the world and in our immediate neighborhood. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we find ourselves in an entirely new situation and must act accordingly.
Mr. Speaker! We have seen horrific images of mass graves after Russian troops have withdrawn from Ukrainian cities. We see a hand sticking up from the dirt. We see women who have been raped and subjected to horrific abuses. We see fathers saying goodbye to their children and heading out to the front to defend their country.
The free democratic world must condemn these acts of terror with all possible force. Putin must be held accountable for the actions he has committed.
During the months that the war has been ongoing, there has been a significant change in the content of the military support that Sweden is now providing. It has moved from protective equipment in the first decision at the end of February to now more advanced weapons systems and ammunition that are being planned and that we are making decisions about today.
During the upcoming Swedish presidency of the EU during the spring of 2023, continued support for Ukraine, together with maintained strong pressure against Russia, will be high-priority issues for the government.
The defense of Ukraine's freedom is our time's most crucial foreign policy task. It will make a great difference this winter for all those Ukrainians who are now fighting for their lives and their freedom.
Mr. Speaker! I would like to once again extend a big thank you to the committee members for the swift handling and to all the parties in the Riksdag for the fact that we now stand together behind this winter package for Ukraine.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I move for approval of the committee's proposal in the report.
Mikael Damberg (S)
Mr. Speaker! The security policy situation in Europe remains very serious. Russia is waging a war of indiscriminate attack against Ukraine. It is a war that causes great human suffering. The responsibility for the war rests solely with the Russian state leadership. International law gives Ukraine the legal right to defend itself against Russia's attacks.
Since the war broke out, Sweden has provided several military aid packages and a training package aimed at conducting basic military training for Ukrainian citizens. In addition, we have increased the aid for humanitarian support to Ukraine.
It is unfortunately likely that the war in Ukraine will continue for a longer period. Therefore, it is important that Sweden continues to support Ukraine. We Social Democrats therefore stand completely behind the Committee on Finance's proposal to authorize the government to donate additional defense materiel in the form of air defense systems, ammunition, and winter equipment to Ukraine.
Mr. Speaker! Russia's unlawful warfare in Ukraine has reshaped the security policy situation in all of Europe. Sweden's policy in this situation has rested on three pillars. It is about supporting Ukraine, pushing for sanctions against Russia, and strengthening Sweden.
We have, with broad political consensus, begun a realignment of Swedish defense policy. Sweden's defense has today as its main task to defend the country against an armed attack, and we have carried out the largest buildup of the military defense since the 1950s and continue to do so.
To increase the country's defense capability, we have agreed that defense expenditures shall amount to 2 percent of GDP. But it is also absolutely crucial that the increased resources for defense are converted into actual increased defense capability.
In this difficult security policy situation, all decisions regarding the donation of Swedish military materiel must be carefully weighed against our national needs to maintain the defense capability in Sweden. All decisions must therefore be based on a thorough analysis. That analysis now exists.
The gravity of the issue is ill-suited for campaign politics or for sweeping statements, such as those from the former opposition leader that the previous government acted "measly and weakly." I note that the Swedish artillery system Archer is also not included in the package now.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker: Russia's invasion of a democratic, independent country poses a threat to the security of all of Europe. We must continue to stand up for Ukraine's right to defend itself and continue to support Ukraine together with the EU's member states and international partners. Therefore, I am pleased that there is such a broad consensus in Sweden's Riksdag for this. It serves Sweden well in this serious security policy situation.
Mr. Speaker! With that, I also vote in favor of the committee's proposal in the report.
Charlotte Quensel (SD)
Mr. Speaker! On February 24, the Ukrainian people woke up to a horrific reality. Russia invaded both with ground troops and with airstrikes. The invasion was unprovoked and illegal. It was driven by a lust for power and an arrogance from a very large and aggressive neighboring country. The Ukrainian people have shown the rest of the world a bravery and strength that few dared to hope for.
We can be sure that the Russian invasion has not gone according to plan. Ukraine has successfully stopped the invasion in large parts of the country. Most recently, last week, the Russians retreated from Kherson, which has been occupied since the beginning of March. Russian soldiers left behind a destroyed city with many civilian casualties. The infrastructure has been turned into ruins and bridges have been destroyed. And the Russian military has mined homes, schools, and hospitals. The target for Russia is civilians. It is a loathsome strategy that violates all international laws.
That Russia has been forced to abandon Kherson is Putin's biggest setback so far. It is a victory for the Ukrainian people. It is a people fighting from a position of inferiority to defend the right to their land.
On Tuesday, Russia once again showed how to aim at maximizing civilian suffering with over 100 cruise missiles against civilian targets. In addition to killing innocent people, they knocked out the power supply for over 7 million people. The result is that people cannot cook food and have ice-cold homes, hospitals are without electricity, and so on.
Mr. Speaker! Imagine if it had been us who woke up on February 24th to bombs that shook our homes and destroyed everything in their path. Imagine if it had been us who had seen Gotland become occupied and isolated, who had had to send our loved ones to the front, who did not know if they were alive or had been sent to Russian camps, who had received messages that our loved ones had perished or had been driven from our homes and our livelihoods. Imagine if it had been us who had had to leave our family members and flee to other countries, in the hope of being received with mercy.
There was a time when many saw such a development as unthinkable, possibly belonging at home in Jan Guillou's Hamilton books. Göran Persson, former Social Democratic Prime Minister, was proud of halving the defense during his time. He even considered a defense committee in the Riksdag unnecessary.
A former Prime Minister in recent times has called defense a special interest and followed up by saying that "there is no threat to Sweden." During that time, the Sverigedemokraterna were the only party that wanted to see increased appropriations for defense. That is what we have fought for since we entered the Riksdag in 2010. We have also been clear about why we have wanted to strengthen the defense: the threat from Russia.
Mr. Speaker! Today, the tone is the opposite. The threats against Sweden are the most serious since World War II. The only way to stand up to an aggressive state like Russia is for us to do it together with other democratic countries. The most important thing we can do now is to support the Ukrainian people so that they are able to drive Russia out of Ukraine, and for good.
If it had been Sweden that was invaded on February 24, we would have been completely dependent on support from the rest of the world. Therefore, it is obvious that Sweden helps Ukraine in every way we can.
It is about welcoming Ukrainian refugees and introducing sanctions against Russia. But it is also about supporting Ukraine with military equipment. Today, we decide on the largest military support so far at a cost of 3 billion kronor.
The Sweden Democrats fully support Ukraine and its people. This is something we have requested and therefore welcome. For Ukraine to win the war, support is needed, major support, both economic and military. The free world has everything to gain from pushing Russia out of Ukraine.
Ali Esbati (V)
Mr. Speaker! I shall be brief. Vänsterpartiet supports the proposal to support Ukraine by authorizing the government to donate defense materiel worth just over 3 billion kronor. The Finance Committee's initiative has been presented in full agreement.
The Russian war of aggression and the invasion of Ukraine is ongoing in our neighboring area and affects our country in many different ways. It is surrounded by crimes and atrocities that have caused immense human suffering. We have witnessed blatant cruelty and bizarre propaganda. We see the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure. This, of course, contributes to the winter becoming even harsher for people in Ukraine.
The scope and brutality of the Russian attack have already fundamentally changed the security policy situation in our region and thus affected geopolitics, economy and social life even globally.
Vänsterpartiet's approach to this is both principled and concrete. Sweden's freedom and self-determination ultimately rest on a combination of, on one hand, our own will to defend and defense capability and, on the other hand, an international order with respect for international law, which Russia has now so flagrantly violated and continues to violate with its war of aggression.
Sweden can and should support Ukraine in this situation because we have a responsibility for the international legal order, because we should show solidarity with an attacked people in our neighborhood, and because the various effects of Russia's war of aggression highly affect our country.
The support that Sweden offers can and must be broad in form. This applies directly financially, of course. It is also about offering opportunities for people fleeing the conflict to find sanctuary in Sweden and also about the opportunities to stay and enter Swedish society where they so wish. In addition, it concerns institutional support, today and certainly also in various ways in a reconstruction work ahead.
There is also an opportunity to contribute defense materiel. But this concerns, as stated in the report, materiel that can be spared by the Armed Forces for a limited period. This is an assessment that the Armed Forces and the Defence Materiel Administration have previously been tasked to make. I have confidence that it is this balancing act, rather than for example individual statements in the heat of the election campaign, that underlies the proposal being laid before the Riksdag today.
It is, of course, of paramount importance that the assessment is made based on Sweden's own defense capability in relation to the requests put forward from the Ukrainian side and to the prevailing security policy situation otherwise. It also becomes reasonable in that context with the operational secrecy that exists around the exact specification of the equipment.
Vänsterpartiet therefore stands completely behind the report, and I also move for approval of the committee's proposal.
Martin Ådahl (C)
Mr. Speaker! Another reminder of how directly and profoundly the conflict in Ukraine affects us here in Sweden and Europe is that this week we saw the first victims of Putin's illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine in an EU country, on European Union territory. Two innocent residents in the small Polish village of Przewodów are now added to the many thousands of civilian victims.
The EU, Nato and the West must now be clear about holding the line, as Thorbjörn Fälldin once said, and in that, Sweden should be a clear and distinct voice. What Putin is doing in western Ukraine has absolutely nothing to do with the war of invasion he is conducting. It is not a war theater; it is pure terror bombing.
Mr. Speaker, Ukraine has not let itself be intimidated. This is evidenced by the scenes in Kherson, where the residents, despite the immediate threat that remains from Russia, dare to go out into the streets to show their joy, their relief and their hope, but also their sorrow and their anger over the relentless destruction that has already been mentioned here from the rostrum. It is mass graves, torture chambers and booby traps aimed at children. It reminds us of how important it is not to falter and grow weary after nine months.
Ukraine must absolutely win this war - it is a fundamental and absolute necessity for Swedish security policy and Swedish foreign policy. Every weapon that goes toward limiting Putin's military capability and every Swedish weapon that goes toward defeating Putin is a weapon used for Sweden's security, democracy, and Europe's security. Ukraine's cause is ours, and this now more than ever as the possibility of victory nears thanks to the Ukrainian armed forces' incredible heroism in the face of an initially overwhelming enemy.
Mr. Speaker! The announcement that the government has made regarding aid to Ukraine - and which we are debating here today - is very good and welcome, as is, not least, the unity in this chamber and among all parties behind the support we show for Ukraine. Unfortunately, the support is at the same time insufficient and therefore concerning.
It is excellent and necessary that the government sends more and heavier weapons, such as the weapons that Ukraine is requesting ahead of an extremely tough winter. We must take the defense minister at his word when he says that he will do everything to deliver more weapons, such as heavy artillery systems, and that he will follow up on this in every possible way as soon as possible. Ukraine needs more and heavier Swedish weapons, even after this effort.
More concerning, however, is that the economic aid is not at the level of either the acute or the long-term needs that Ukraine has. Ukraine has extreme expenditures for its defense, and at the same time, the entire country's production apparatus is being attacked and sabotaged by Putin and his war. Ukraine's ports are largely closed for the export of food and fertilizer to the rest of the world. Furthermore – as was recently mentioned – a third of the country has been without electricity. In that case, it does not help that the country's inhabitants have managed, in an almost miraculous way, to keep the country running.
Huge holes are being dug in Ukraine's public finances. This is a home front that must also be maintained for the war to be winnable. According to the IMF, Ukraine loses 40 billion kronor every month in its state budget. Furthermore, that is just as much every month as the government invests in the budget it has laid out. And according to leading Ukrainian economists, this is not correct, but it is 50 billion that is lost – every month! Unfortunately, it is the printing presses that are filling these holes. Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, has plummeted in value. Despite the efforts of the extremely skilled central bank, a very serious inflation now threatens.
Mr. Speaker! This economic war must also be won. We in Sweden and in the West must respond. Ukraine lacks enormous amounts of money, but still, the 500-600 billion kronor - 50 billion dollars - that they need over a year is only 0.3 percent of the EU's GDP. And it is a lot that is at stake! Ukraine's GDP in 2021 was 200 billion dollars and the EU's total GDP 17,000 billion dollars - 85 times Ukraine's GDP!
We can afford to support Ukraine, and if we do not, we will have to pay many times more by letting Putin's shadow stretch across Europe.
In the same way, Moldova, a small strategically located country squeezed between the war and the EU, also needs even more support than what is given in the proposal. Then 0.7 billion kronor is not enough.
The support from the EU countries is also not being paid out as promised. And when it is paid out, it is accompanied by so much bureaucracy that it is impossible to manage in a war situation. It requires both large loans jointly financed by the EU and support directly to Ukraine.
It is good that Sweden has now shifted its position so that the EU can collectively guarantee loans to Ukraine of 18 billion euros, but more pure support is needed. It is particularly painful that one is only able to manage 0.7 billion kronor when, at the same time, a cut of 6.7 billion kronor is being made to the aid budget. Incredibly poorly timed! Furthermore, in the long run, Ukraine will have an enormous need for reconstruction. We are talking about thousands of billions of kronor, equivalent to Sweden's GDP and more. A Marshall Plan is needed. Here, Sweden's help will be absolutely crucial. We need to lead the way.
It may seem awkward to say this just as the government has done good, necessary things that it should be praised for and that we all stand united behind. But history will not remember Sweden or us in Europe because we almost showed the leadership that was needed, because we almost managed to save Ukraine economically in the most crucial moment. History will remember us if we, when Ukraine has shown heroism beyond everything we could have wished for and requested, make the sacrifices and show the courage that falls upon us.
Hans Eklind (KD)
Mr. Speaker! This is the ninth support package with military materiel. To strengthen Ukraine, which did not want this war, and to stand on their side is a matter of course. The Ukrainian people are the innocent victims of this madness, Putin's war. They are defending democracy, freedom, and every people's right to decide their own fate.
We support Ukraine because it is morally right and correct. We support this brave people. They shall not stand alone. This stance has guided us Christian Democrats since February 24 of this year. The reality is that the war is over when Russia lays down its weapons, but if Ukraine lays down its weapons, their freedom is gone.
Mr. Speaker! Ukraine faces a frightening winter with sub-zero temperatures and difficult conditions. For example, it has been estimated that approximately 40 percent of Ukraine's energy infrastructure is damaged following Russian attacks. It has therefore been necessary for us to handle this matter expeditiously. I am very pleased with the way in which all political parties in the Riksdag have made this possible, here and now, quickly and efficiently.
The winter package that was presented by the government yesterday consists of three parts: a humanitarian, a military, and a political one. It is a package that corresponds with what Ukraine itself has listed as most urgent. It is by far the largest military and humanitarian contribution to Ukraine so far.
The support for defense materiel to Ukraine's armed forces amounts to 3.1 billion kronor and is therefore larger than the previous eight military supports combined. In addition to a qualified weapons system for air defense including qualified ammunition, qualified ammunition for additional air defense systems is also included, something that Ukraine has made clear that they need.
It is also important to highlight the humanitarian package, the acute aid support, which amounts to just over 700 million kronor. This concerns elementary things such as access to food, water, blankets, and heat sources. It goes to both Ukraine and Moldova. Funds have also been set aside here to begin the reconstruction after the massive destruction that Russia has caused.
Mr. Speaker! It is important that we support the Ukrainian women and men who, at the risk of their lives, defend their territory and the country's existence. We have all seen the hideous images of children's hospitals that have been bombed or of innocent women and children who have been shot down on open streets. It is also important that we in Sweden continue to help and integrate the more than 40,000 Ukrainian refugees who have sought refuge in Sweden.
It is in our interest to clearly stand on Ukraine's side. They are also defending our European values, international law, and the rules-based international order.
Mr. Speaker! I naturally move for approval of the Committee on Finance's proposal for a decision on a winter package for Ukraine, which we will vote on later today.
Janine Alm Ericson (MP)
Mr. Speaker! The Russian invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked, illegal, and unjustifiable. The attack is a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and entails, as we all see daily, great suffering for the Ukrainian population. It also threatens international peace and security and is a serious violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and against the European security order.
When international law and human rights are violated, a country must have the right to defend itself. An aggressor must also realize that a war of aggression against neighbors builds nothing and is not accepted by the rest of us. We do not accept Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn these acts of war.
For us in Miljöpartiet, it is clear that Sweden should contribute to Ukraine's struggle for self-determination and self-defense. We shall continue our support for Ukraine, individually and together with other countries. We must continue to safeguard human rights, international law, and peace.
We now see that more and more people are returning to previously occupied cities in Ukraine. We see that the resistance remains strong. But the humanitarian situation is devastating. It is therefore extremely important that Sweden remains a reliable partner and provides humanitarian aid, gives protection for those people who must flee, and provides economic support. A united front is now required that protects and stands up for human rights and international law and against Russia's illegal and unprovoked actions.
Mr. Speaker! Ukraine is a European democracy that has been invaded by an authoritarian regime with the aim of taking away the freedom of Ukraine's population. Swedish security is closely intertwined with security throughout Europe. Therefore, it is very important that we stick together and have a united front against Putin. An attack against a country in Europe is an attack against the security of all of Europe, and an attack against a democratic country is an attack against democracy everywhere.
The sanctions against Russia must remain in place and be tightened where we know it hurts. And when prices for food and energy rise as a consequence of the war, we must place the blame where it belongs: with the aggressor Putin.
The resistance in Ukraine continues. They are bravely defending their country and standing up in a way that has exceeded the world's expectations. Then the world must show that we are equally persistent in our support. Therefore, Sweden's support for Ukraine must continue to be strong, both during and after the war. Ukraine is also to be rebuilt and continue to be a free and independent country. We therefore assume that the government will return with more proposals for support when the time comes.
Mr. Speaker! The report states: "In solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and as part of the international response to Russia's actions, there is a great need to assist Ukraine." But something that unfortunately is not stated, that unfortunately is not addressed, and which Miljöpartiet lacks, is that there should be a total ban on the import of coal and oil that feeds Putin's war chest. We are, in fact, continuing with what we have done since the war began. We provide support and aid with one hand. But with the other hand, we are also financing Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine.
Miljöpartiet sees that it must be stopped. Peace must be won, partly through support for Ukraine but naturally also by making it difficult for Putin to continue with the war. There, the economy is a large part. And the sanctions contribute some. But the money from the fossil economy provides much more. If we mean business with the solidarity with Ukraine, with their struggle for freedom and peace, we should also stop financing the aggressor.
Carl B Hamilton (L)
Mr. Speaker! The Liberals naturally, like the other parties, stand behind the proposal to support Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine is both deeply worrying and simultaneously heartening. It is a strange combination. Ukraine has resisted the Russian attempt at conquest more effectively than we thought was possible. For example, as we have heard here, the city of Kherson was recently taken back from the Russians, and the bridge to Crimea, which is strategically important for Russia, has been destroyed. These successes, however, we must not only note, but we must also reflect on the fact that they have occurred at the cost of thousands of dead and wounded people.
A lot can happen. A lot will happen. We also have the question of how Russia could want to withdraw. What, against the background of Russian domestic policy and Russian society, is an acceptable exit for Russia? That question has no answer today.
Mr. Speaker! I think it is worth reminding of the parallel that exists with Sweden and Finland against the Soviet Union's attacks in the autumn and winter of 1939-1940, that is to say, the Finnish Winter War. That time contains a lesson for us in the Nordic countries and Eastern Europe. Then the decision-makers, including our colleagues in the Riksdag at the time, took the rather risky decision for Sweden to quickly empty Swedish mobilization depots of military materiel and send a large part of the materiel to Finland in order to, if possible, prevent Stalin and the Soviet Union from occupying Finland. The idea was, of course, to prevent the Soviet Union's power from being established in Finland and to end the political system there and at Sweden's borders in the east. It succeeded, but the price for Finland's brave people was enormously high. The equation was, admittedly, more complicated than I have hinted here.
What we decide today is a reflection of the same simple, true Swedish thought, namely to arm those who are more effective than we ourselves and who thereby protect themselves but also Sweden against Russia's imperial ambitions. The lesson is simple, but sometimes it fades, forgotten. Russia is a very large country and has the great power ambition to dominate, even if the intensity of that ambition has fluctuated a bit over time.
We in Sweden, the Nordics, and the Baltics can never trust that Russia does not want to rule over us and our close neighbors. We cannot trust that we will be allowed to live in peace by Russia. It is unrealistic. We must not disarm as soon as Russia becomes less aggressive towards the rest of the world, even if Russia were to become so in the future. We must never lower our guard, Mr. Speaker.
Sweden must always be ready to support and help Russia's neighbors to defend themselves against Russian attempts to take power in their countries. Swedish and Finnish NATO membership increases the possibilities to keep up the guard and the possibilities that we get to live without Russian interference.
Amendments to the State Budget for 2022 - Defense Materiel to Ukraine
This also applies to other countries. Therefore, Ukraine should also be able to become a NATO member just like Moldova - the sooner the better, Mr. Speaker.
The deliberation was hereby concluded.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.