Sweden has responded to a changing security situation in Europe by increasing its military spending, reintroducing conscription and hosting large-scale exercises. It has also stationed troops back on the strategically important Swedish island of Gotland, in the middle of the Baltic Sea, for the first time in more than a decade. While Sweden is not a NATO nation, NATO and Sweden have a strong partnership and actively work together in peace and security operations, and for both, providing security in the Baltic Sea region is a priority.