Maria Malmer Stenergard

Debate article by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz in Dagens Industri, 8 May 2025. Originally in Swedish.

On 1 – 2 May, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard visited London to meet the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. During the visit, Ms Malmer Stenergard participated in a celebration of a Swedish-British research collaboration together with the King and Queen of Sweden, and met Swedes living in London.

Joint Statement by the Nordic-Baltic-Weimar Ministers of Foreign Affairs on April 29 2025.

Iceland’s President Halla Tómasdóttir is paying a State Visit to Sweden at the invitation of His Majesty the King. The President is accompanied by her spouse Björn Skúlason, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister for Health Alma Möller, together with a delegation from the business sector.

Nine years have passed since Ahmadreza Djalali was imprisoned and then sentenced to death in Iran. Ahmadreza Djalali is being held under very difficult conditions and his poor health is deteriorating further. This is extremely worrying. The Swedish Government demands that Iran immediately release Ahmadreza Djalali on humanitarian grounds so that he can be reunited with his family. I want Ahmadreza Djalali and his relatives to know that my and the Swedish Government’s efforts to secure his release continue with full force. Sweden and the EU continue to contribute to strong international pressure on Iran.

On 23 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard received Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Attaf in Stockholm. The purpose of the visit was to deepen cooperation between the two countries, primarily in terms of trade, and also to discuss security challenges in the region.

On 8 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen hosted Hanalys, the high-level foreign and security policy dialogue held at Villa Foresta on Lidingö, Stockholm. The conference brought together hundreds of Swedish and Finnish experts to discuss Ukraine, international law and economic security.

In May 2026, Sweden will host the informal meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Helsingborg has been confirmed as the location of the meeting.

On 3–4 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard will take part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels, which will lay the groundwork for the NATO Summit in The Hague. Cooperation with countries in the Indo-Pacific will also be on the agenda.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard received Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Nafti in Stockholm on 1 April. The purpose of the visit was to deepen cooperation, primarily in terms of trade, but also to discuss regional and global issues and challenges. Mr Ali Nafti was accompanied by a business delegation.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard travelled to India on 17–18 March to take part in the Raisina Dialogue, a conference on security policy. She was accompanied by a delegation of Swedish industry representatives who met with Indian counterparts within the framework of the India Sweden Business Leaders’ Roundtable. In meetings with India’s External Affairs Minister and Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ms Malmer Stenergard discussed how Sweden’s and Europe’s partnership with India can become even stronger.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard is travelling to India on 17–18 March to take part in the Raisina Dialogue, a conference on security policy. During her visit to New Delhi, Ms Malmer Stenergard will also participate in a Swedish-Indian business meeting hosted by India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry. Ms Malmer Stenergard will be joined by CEO of Business Sweden Jan Larsson in an inauguration ceremony to launch a new trading office in India.

On 13 March, the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Stockholm. The aim was to deepen cooperation in trade, investment and regional and global issues. Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard hosted the visit, which was a significant step in strengthening ties between the two countries.

The Government has submitted a bill to the Riksdag regarding Sweden’s participation in an air defence operation to protect and maintain the security of military and civil support to Ukraine. Sweden will also contribute to enhanced Air Policing, NATO’s strengthened airspace surveillance, in Poland in mid-2025.

Sweden and Australia are entering into negotiations on a bilateral social security agreement. The agreement will enable closer cooperation with Australia and facilitate the mobility of people and business between the two countries.

On the third anniversary of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has adopted the 16th sanctions package since the launch of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The new sanctions package includes additional measures targeting the ‘shadow fleet’ and expanded import and export bans on Russian natural resources such as primary aluminium. The package also includes additional anti-circumvention measures.

Opinion piece, Financial Times, 24 February 2025,by Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Denmark, Margus Tsahkna, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Estonia, Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iceland, Baiba Braže, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Latvia, Kęstutis Budrys, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lithuania, and Espen Barth Eide, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Norway.