Federal Chancellor receives Swedish Prime Minister
Following a series of incidents in the Baltic Sea, Germany and Sweden have resolved to work together to strengthen critical infrastructure. During the visit of Prime Minister Kristersson, the Federal Chancellor also reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to ongoing support for Ukraine.
- Transcript of press conference
- Friday, 17 January 2025
Following his meeting with Prime Minister Kristersson, Federal Chancellor Scholz said, “In challenging times it is important to have close and reliable friends like Sweden.”
Photo: Federal Government/Steffen Kugler
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden met in the Chancellery where they discussed security around the Baltic Sea. Their meeting returned to a topic discussed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte only three days ago at the NATO Baltic Allies Summit in Helsinki. The two leaders also discussed ongoing support for Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression. “Putin cannot hope that we are going to abandon Ukraine to its fate,” said Scholz.
The key facts at a glance:
- Protecting critical infrastructure: The Federal Chancellor referred to several incidents which had taken place in the Baltic Sea over the past 15 months where data and power cables on the seabed had been damaged. Scholz said there were strong arguments in favour of improving protections for these cables and pipelines. The NATO “Baltic Sentry” mission will enhance security in the coming months, with submarine, surface-level and airborne activity. “Our Rostock headquarters will coordinate this at a regional level, and I am delighted that Sweden is also involved,” said Scholz.
- Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine: The Federal Chancellor also stressed that NATO was an “essential guarantor of our security” at a time when Russia was behaving increasingly aggressively. After nearly three years of conflict, Russia’s war against Ukraine had killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of people, Scholz said. He pointed to G7’s 50 billion dollar loan to Ukraine as a clear signal of Germany’s long-term support. Germany had also signed off on bilateral arms supplies worth 4 billion euros for 2025, Scholz said.
- Extending bilateral partnership: Scholz said that Germany and Sweden enjoyed an excellent relationship, and referred to the German-Swedish Innovation Partnership which had been renewed only last summer. Both countries possess prestigious research institutions and innovative businesses, Scholz said, and stressed the need to exploit this potential even further.
Watch the video of statements to the media:
Video
You can read a transcript here (only German).