Sweden to boost defense spending by $1.3B in 2025

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - NATO's newest member Sweden plans to raise its defence spending by 13 billion crowns ($1.3 billion) in the state budget for 2025 to a total of 138 billion, Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on Tuesday.

Military spending will rise in 2025 to 2.4% of GDP from 2.2% this year and is projected to hit 2.6% in 2028, Jonson told a press conference.

Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 sparked a historic policy U-turn in previously militarily non-aligned Sweden, which this year joined NATO and has vowed to further ramp up military budgets.

The centre-right government coalition, which relies on support from the far-right Sweden Democrats, is due to submit its budget bill for 2025 to parliament on Sept 19.

($1 = 10.1579 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)

OAF NATION NEWSROOM

Houthi official says US offered to recognize Sanaa government; US official denies claim

The U.S. offered to recognize the Houthi government in Sanaa in a bid to stop the Yemeni rebel group's attacks, a senior Houthi official said on Monday, in remarks that a U.S. official said were fa...