Sweden will not host Nato nuclear weapons or permanent military bases after joining the western alliance as early as next month.
Pal Jonson, the Swedish defence minister, ruled out bases, including deployment of the alliance’s nuclear arsenal, amid fears that political support for joining Nato could be eroded.
“We don’t see a need or any expectations from those allies with nuclear weapons to base them here,” he said. “We do not see from our side the need to host nuclear weapons or permanent troops.”
Jonson, 50, said that Sweden had not imposed any conditions on its application for Nato membership but could follow Denmark and Norway in refusing to station nuclear weapons in peacetime after joining.
“After we finish our application process we, of course, have the possibility to make a unilateral declaration just as Norway and Denmark have done,” he said.
Ruling out nuclear or permanent bases is seen as crucial for preserving public support for Nato membership in Sweden, which ended its neutrality after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
“This is important for the Social Democrats,” a government official said. The left-wing party has ruled the country for most of its modern history but is currently in opposition.
Officials said that Sweden would follow Nato’s “enhanced forward presence” model in the Baltic states, which involves the deployment of troops on rotation rather than creating permanent bases.
Sweden and Finland are expected to join Nato by the end of February after Turkey ratifies their membership application.
The new caveats on bases could alarm allies. Finland is also expected to set conditions after opinion polling last week showed public opposition to Nato military bases.
Russia is expanding its presence in the Arctic region and last month Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary-general, warned of “a significant Russian military build-up in the high north”.
Sweden is poised to send Leopard 2 battle tanks, known as the Stridsvagn 122, to Ukraine in the coming weeks, putting Germany under pressure to follow suit.
“There is no principled limitation in regards to tanks,” Jonson said, hinting that an announcement was coming soon.
Poland has confirmed plans to send Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a “coalition” after talks between Nato allies are held at the Ramstein military base in Germany on January 20.
“A company of Leopard tanks will be handed over as part of coalition-building,” Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, said.