Sweden and the United Kingdom Sign Mutual Security Deal

On Wednesday, Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Magdalena Andersson signed a declaration of security guarantees between the United Kingdom and Sweden, which includes a commitment to help in the event of a crisis or military attack and greater cooperation in areas such as military intelligence, technology, purchase weapons or military maneuvers.

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"It will depend on what Sweden asks for. But if Sweden is attacked and asks us for support, we will give it to them," Johnson said at a joint news conference in Stockholm.

The British PM also described the agreement as a “fundamental stone” in the development of the relationship between both countries, and stressed that support for Sweden is not linked to the decision that this country makes on joining the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO).

"We feel safer with this declaration, no matter what decision we make," Swedish Prime Minister Andersson said.

"Tensions in this part of the world have grown in recent years... If Sweden decides to apply to join NATO, Russia has said it will respond, but how is unclear. They have said they could increase their military presence in the area," she added.

Johnson also traveled to Helsinki today, where he will meet with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and is expected to sign a similar mutual security agreement.

Currently, the UK leads the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a military arrangement established at a 2014 NATO meeting that includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.