The Swedish prime minister has announced that Sweden will send troops to Latvia next year as part of a Canadian-led force to deter Russia from attack – despite not yet being a full member of Nato.

Warning that Russia is “trying to destabilise all of Europe” with threats, disinformation and cyber-attacks, Ulf Kristersson said “Sweden’s natural place is in Nato” and that he would “waste no time waiting for the final ratifications”.

Sweden is still waiting for Turkey and Hungary to approve its Nato application, which it submitted at the same time as Finland, which became a Nato member in April last year, in May 2022.