Foreign and security policy

Sweden’s participation in international crisis management and peace support contributes to upholding and strengthening the rules-based global order and is a priority of Sweden’s national security strategy (SB2017/00106–1). The basic premise of Sweden’s engagement is that security is best built through collaboration and partnership with others.

Developments in Afghanistan are extremely serious. Lives, and the advances made in the last 20 years, are under threat. The Swedish evacuation at Kabul Airport has been completed. Sweden’s commitment to the Afghan people remains steadfast.

At Generation Equality Forum in Paris. Check against delivery.

Discussions on the situation in Russia and how the EU should manage it, along with LGBTIQ issues, dominated the EU summit on 24–25 June. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and other EU leaders also addressed the COVID-19 situation and the economic recovery.

When the EU’s heads of state and government meet in Brussels on 24–25 June, they will discuss the economic situation in the EU, migration and a number of foreign policy issues. They will also look at activities related to COVID-19. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and his colleagues will kick off the summit with a working lunch with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to most countries until 1 September. At the same time, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is lifting the advice against travel to countries and administrative regions that have recently been added to the EU exemption list. As of 24 June, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has lifted the advice against non-essential travel to Albania, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Serbia, the United States, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

On Wednesday 16 June, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will receive Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. Mr Löfven and Mr Nausėda will discuss regional security and defence , current EU issues, the situation in Belarus and the Easten Neighborhood, and relations between Sweden and Lithuania, for example with regard to investments, the business climate and people to people contacts.

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 13 June 2021.

With a view to inspiring and influencing Swedish development policy, Minister for International Development Cooperation Per Olsson Fridh will launch an international advisory group for action on the environment, climate and biodiversity in connection with World Environment Day on 5 June. The advisory group will make an important contribution to fine-tuning Sweden’s global engagement in the most affected countries ahead of coming international high level meetings on climate, environment and biodiversity.