Thomas G. DiNanno, the US under secretary of state to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visited Stockholm this week with 23 senior American officials. His official title is Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security.
The purpose of the visit was to give the Swedish-American technology agreement TPD - signed in May by Rubio and Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) - concrete content.
We have a long history of defense integration that stretches back decades.
Engines, avionics - we have extremely integrated supply chains. But it's also about bigger things, like very strong political and cultural ties, says Thomas G. DiNanno, explaining why the US signed such an agreement with Sweden as the first country in the EU.
The goal is to dismantle cumbersome trade rules and strengthen cooperation between Swedish and American companies in several areas, including AI, defense and space technology.
At the same time, the visit is taking place against the backdrop of Europe's security situation.
Recently, the Danish intelligence service warned of increased Russian sabotage and cyberattacks. Similar statements have come from Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a speech in early October that the country is preparing for more hybrid attacks, “even serious ones.”
DiNanno shares this assessment.
"We see it all over the continent. The drone intrusions and sabotage, like the one in Leipzig, are extremely dangerous. We have to stick together," he says.
Asked how Europe can best meet the threat, DiNanno says it will be especially important for the US and Europe to cooperate on defense technology.
But technology is developing very, very quickly. It's a struggle for governments to keep up, he says.
Criticism from Zelensky
As EU leaders gathered in Brussels at the end of the week, President Donald Trump's high-profile diesel deal with Russia cast a shadow over the summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also sharply criticized the United States this week.
However, Thomas G. DiNanno rejects the criticism:
No country has contributed more to Ukraine's defense than the United States, he says, continuing:
The President's (Donald Trump's) goal is to end the war and reach a negotiated solution. He and his negotiators are doing exactly that.
He emphasizes that the United States continues to stand by its allies and rejects concerns that the American administration would leave Europe to its fate.
"The United States is not backing down. NATO is not going away. I think we will have a stronger alliance when all this is over," he says.
Some recent events that have raised concerns about hybrid and cyber warfare in Europe:
Germany: Explosive-laden drones were found next to Ukrainian military aircraft in Leipzig in August. Germany blames Russia for the attack.
Estonia: An arson attack in August on a company manufacturing defense materials in Tallinn is being blamed on Russian sabotage.
Bulgaria: Several merchant ships were attacked earlier in October in the country's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. The Russian ambassador was summoned in response.
France: Hundreds of refrigerated and freezer cabinets in French grocery stores have been hacked. No one has yet been formally identified as responsible.