{"id":39755,"date":"2017-09-01T16:56:36","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T16:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/09\/01\/mattis-reportedly-threatens-swedish-defense-cooperation-over-nuclear-treaty\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:05:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:05:14","slug":"mattis-reportedly-threatens-swedish-defense-cooperation-over-nuclear-treaty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2017\/09\/01\/mattis-reportedly-threatens-swedish-defense-cooperation-over-nuclear-treaty\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattis reportedly threatens Swedish defense cooperation over nuclear treaty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis is leaning heavily on the Swedish government to not sign o to a new anti-nuclear weapons treaty, to the point of threatening Sweden\u2019s military alliance with the United States, according to local news reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The national Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheterin reported this week<\/a> that Swedish officials are upset by the letter, sent to Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, which indicated defense industrial cooperation between the two nations could be endangered if Sweden signs onto the treaty, as is expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report, translated into English for Defense News by Dagens Nyheterin security policy correspondent Mikael Holmstr\u00f6m, said Mattis warned Hultqvist that signing the treaty could directly impact Sweden\u2019s relationship with NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweden is part of NATO\u2019s so-called Gold Card program, which gives it privileged rights as a non-NATO member; that status is up for renewal in October. In addition, the letter stated that Sweden signing the nuclear ban would close the option of joining NATO in the future, according to Dagens Nyheterin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Swedish paper also cited a source raising fears that signing the nuclear agreement could impact defense industrial cooperation between Sweden and the U.S., including programs being worked on by Saab. Although not mentioned specifically, Saab is teamed with Boeing on a design for the U.S. Air Force\u2019s next-generation trainer aircraft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael declined to comment on the letter itself, but said the U.S. \u201cdoes have serious concerns with the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, and strongly discourages states from signing or ratifying\u201d as it contains provisions that \u201ccould potentially affect our ability to cooperate with parties to the treaty on issues of mutual interest. It also undermines the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the U.S. \u201cvalues its defense relationship with Sweden,\u201d Michael added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One hundred twenty-two countries agreed to endorse the treaty against nuclear weapons at the United Nations, which is up for a formal vote Sept. 20. Sweden was one of the nations that endorsed the treaty, and Foreign Minister Margot Wallstr\u00f6m has previously stated Sweden intends to officially sign on. Hultqvist, for his part, is reportedly against signing the document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. is a vocal critic of the nuclear weapons ban, due to its longstanding policy of nuclear deterrence, but Mattis reportedly threatening cooperation between the two nations over Sweden\u2019s decision to sign the treaty surprised Jim Townsend, who spent eight years as deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy and is now with the think tank Center for a New American Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\t