Sweden’s former defense minister, who once vowed his country would never join NATO while he held office, has called for the alliance to invoke Article 4 consultations over recent security incidents in the Baltic Sea, including suspected sabotage of undersea infrastructure.
Peter Hultqvist, now defense spokesperson for the opposition Social Democrats, urged the government to seek NATO-wide talks after Finland detained a vessel suspected of damaging an undersea power cable last week. His call for NATO intervention marks a stark shift from October 2022, when as defense minister he opposed Swedish NATO membership, saying it would “fundamentally change the security line” in the region.
“We need to take an overall look at having an overall NATO strategy,” Hultqvist told reporters, warning that “hybrid activities” in the Baltic Sea showed no signs of stopping.
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Article 4 of the NATO treaty allows member states to request consultations when they perceive threats to their territorial integrity or security. The mechanism has only been activated seven times in NATO’s history.
Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said in a written comment to TT newswire that the government was monitoring the situation closely and “rules out nothing” but stressed the importance of maintaining composure, using the Swedish expression of keeping “ice in the stomach.”
The push for NATO consultations comes amid growing concern over the security of critical infrastructure in the strategically important waterway. Hultqvist called for coordinated discussions among Baltic Sea nations within NATO’s North Atlantic Council.
“These activities are about sabotaging our daily operations and creating a situation of confusion and anxiety,” Hultqvist said, adding that current strategies were insufficient for addressing long-term tensions in the region. “We must expect a relatively high level of tension for a long time to come.”
Stenergard welcomed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s announcement of an increased alliance presence in the Baltic Sea.
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