The Nordic, Baltic countries and Poland are ready, together with their allies, to strengthen sanctions against Russia and the states that support its invasion of Ukraine, they said today on the occasion of a summit in Sweden.

“Together with allies, we are determined to strengthen our means of deterrence and defense (…) against conventional and hybrid attacks and strengthen sanctions against Russia and those who favor Russian aggression, also threatening our common security” , write the seven signatory countries (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Poland) in a joint statement.

Lithuania did not participate in this Summit, as the formation of its government is underway.

“Western sanctions are working despite Russian propaganda, the Russian economy is sinking into an imbalance between rising war spending and the rest of the economy is straining,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson said during a news conference in Harpsund.

The seven NATO countries that border or are close to Russia and are members of NATO also pledge to “increase (their) support” to Ukraine, “in particular to the Ukrainian defense industry and will invest in order to make more ammunition available to of Ukraine”.

They remind that they are the most important donors of military aid per inhabitant in favor of Ukraine.

“Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson said in a separate statement, as European countries worried about Donald Trump’s promise to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hour period.

Signatory countries often blame Russia for these “hybrid attacks” against them, the latest episode being the destruction of two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Sweden has launched a sabotage investigation and is focusing on the role of a Chinese ship.