Nordic, Baltic nations, Poland increase Ukraine supports

Nordic and Baltic states as well as Poland have said they would in the coming months step up support for Ukraine, including to the country's defence industry, and invest in making more ammunition available.

Speaking at a summit in Sweden, leaders from the countries said they are also ready to step up sanctions against Russia and backers of its Ukraine invasion.

Russia has been hit with hefty sanctions in the wake of the 2022 assault, which also prompted Western nations to provide billions in assistance for Ukraine to defend itself.

The heads of government from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Sweden voiced their intent on Russian sanctions after their meeting.

"We are committed to strengthening our deterrence, and defence... and to expanding sanctions against Russia as well as against those who enable Russia's aggression," their statement said.

Lithuania did not participate in the summit as it is in the process of forming a new government

"We will act to constrain, to contest and to counter Russia's aggressive actions in the Baltic Sea, in Ukraine, and beyond," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference.

"Western sanctions work despite Russian propaganda, the Russian economy is sinking deeper into an unsustainable balance between escalating war expenditures and starving the rest of the economy," Mr Kristersson said, adding that "their economic reserves will not last forever."

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The leaders were meeting at the Swedish government's country retreat in Harpsund, southwest of Stockholm, for talks covering transatlantic relations, regional security cooperation and a common policy on the war in Ukraine.

The election of Donald Trump to a second presidential term in the US has raised questions about the United States' commitment to supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia and about the country's role within NATO.

The seven nations, which all border or are close to Russia and NATO members, noted that, as a group, they represent the largest contributor of military aid per capita to Ukraine.