Sweden, the newest member of NATO, said fortifying a crucially important island in the Baltic Sea is one of the first issues it is planning to discuss with partners in the Western military alliance.
Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, is home to more than 61,000 people and is an attractive holiday destination thanks to its sunny climate and extensive shoreline.
However, this island is also a key strategic area, lying only 150 miles from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
In 2015, months after Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula, Sweden announced its decision to re-establish a permanent military presence on the island.
In 2018, signalling Stockholm’s commitment to bolstering the military presence in the area, re-introduced the Gotland Regiment, which now counts some 370 soldiers.
In the late 1990s, before the demilitarisation of Gotland in 2005, this regiment counted some 25,000 soldiers.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged the army presence on the island remains limited, but said to be immediately open to discuss how to boost it with NATO partners.
Mr Kristersson told the Financial Times: “There are quite a few things in terms of how to deploy our resources, where to focus the most. And obviously everything to do with the Baltic Sea is such an obvious candidate.
“That goes in terms of presence on Gotland, but also in terms of surveillance, in terms of submarine capabilities.”
Gotland’s location, between Sweden and Estonia, could make it a palatable target for Russia, particularly if fears the Kremlin is eyeing up the Baltic States as its next targets become a reality.
By taking over Gotland, Russia could dominate the Baltic Sea and make it difficult for NATO to bring any reinforcement and support to Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania.
Sweden – as well as Finland – applied for NATO membership in May 2022, a few weeks into the unlawful Russian invasion of Ukraine.
But, unlike Helsinki, Stockholm faced the opposition of Hungary and Turkey and had to overcome several hurdles before being able to ratify its accession.
Last week, the country officially ditched its long-standing neutrality and became the 32nd member of NATO on March 7.
