Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed that Stockholm has begun discussions with France and the United Kingdom on nuclear deterrence. Speaking on SVT’s Agenda, Kristersson argued that as long as “dangerous countries” possess nuclear weapons, democracies must also have access to nuclear deterrence. He added that Sweden, through NATO, now participates in European discussions that “revolve around nuclear weapons,” a notable shift in tone for a country that has traditionally avoided the subject in public. During the accession process, Stockholm signaled it could consider hosting NATO nuclear weapons only in wartime, not in peacetime. France and the UK sharpen nuclear signalingIn May 2024, Kristersson said Sweden could consider hosting nuclear weapons only “if there is a war against us on our territory,” while stressing that NATO’s nuclear umbrella remained necessary as long as Russia retained nuclear forces.