French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Sweden from 30 to 31 January at the invitation of Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf to discuss European defence issues.
At the top of the meeting’s agenda will be European defence issues as well as Sweden’s accession to NATO. The Elysée Palace said:
Sweden is one of our partners in the European Union, and the finalisation of its accession will make it an ally in NATO.
Macron’s visit also comes days before a sensitive European Council meeting on 1 February, where EU leaders will discuss a proposed €50 billion financial aid package for Ukraine, as well as military support.
The Commission is also due to unveil its comprehensive European Defence Industry Strategy (EDIS) at the end of February, designed to boost arms production in the bloc.
The French president is expected to deliver a speech on European defence to young Swedish officers and representatives of the armed forces.
