Foreign and security policy

National Statement at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) delivered by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström on behalf of Sweden. New York, September 2023 Check against delivery

On 18–26 September, several high-level meetings will be held in connection with the opening of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN Headquarters in New York. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson will attend.

On 24–25 October, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, together with his wife Brigitte Macron, will pay a State Visit to Sweden at the invitation of HM the King.

On Friday 1 September, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström received a congressional delegation from the United States House of Representatives. The delegation included members of both the Republican and Democratic parties and was led by Republican Michael McCaul, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The visit aimed to follow up on the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Sweden’s forthcoming membership of NATO and the continued support to Ukraine.

Tomorrow, Friday 1 September, Tobias Billström will hold a press briefing together with members of the United States Congress. Alongside the visiting Congress members, Mr Billström will discuss Sweden’s forthcoming NATO membership and the continued support to Ukraine.

The Government has appointed Andrés Jato as special envoy for international cyber issues. Cyber issues are becoming increasingly important to foreign and security policy. The Government is now strengthening the Swedish Foreign Service’s ability to advance these issues

On Friday 25 August 2023, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will receive Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. The meeting will focus on the security situation, including EU support to Ukraine, competitiveness and the green transition. There will be photo opportunities, and a joint press conference will be held in conjunction with the meeting.

The Swedish Security Service has raised the terrorist threat level from level 3 (‘elevated’) to level 4 (‘high’) on a 5-level scale. In light of the deteriorating security situation, the Government is working intensively and constantly to take the necessary measures.

The Government has decided to appoint an Inquiry Chair to examine whether Sweden’s security could be considered when examining permit applications and setting conditions for public gatherings under the Public Order Act.

Statement by Sweden’s National Security Adviser Henrik Landerholm on the worsened security situation, 13 August.

On 4 August, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström hosted a dialogue with ambassadors of OIC Member States at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The dialogue took place against the backdrop of repeated burnings of copies of holy scriptures and the resolution adopted by the OIC Member States at the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign ministers of the OIC.

In light of the recent developments, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström invited representatives of faith communities to a discussion to listen to their views and thoughts on recent events.

Ahead of the anniversary of the August 2020 presidential election in Belarus, the EU is imposing new sanctions in response to the increased domestic repression in the country. The measures are also in response to Belarus’s support for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Due to the serious security situation, there is greater need for control over who is attempting to enter Sweden and for what purposes. The Government has therefore decided to expand the mandate of the Police to intensify internal border control. This was announced at a press conference yesterday by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström ahead of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers meeting on 31 July.

The reactions following the burning of copies of the Quran have led to a deteriorating security situation. The Government has therefore decided to task several government agencies with strengthening Sweden’s ability to prevent, avert and impede terrorism and violent extremism.

The Swedish Government is engaged in intensive efforts following recent events, including the storming of the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. Today, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström met with the Riksdag parties in the Committee on Foreign Affairs to provide information about the ongoing work, which is ultimately about the safety and security of the Swedish people.

On 13 July 2023, the Presidents of Finland and the United States and the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden met in Helsinki for the third U.S.-Nordic Leaders’ Summit. Building on the previous meetings in the same format, the leaders reconfirmed the strong U.S.-Nordic partnership and the intensifying cooperation between their countries, focusing on security, the environment, technology and society.

Finland’s new Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen visited Sweden on Thursday 6 July to meet with Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. The ministers discussed matters such as Sweden’s upcoming accession to NATO and Sweden’s and Finland’s continued support to Ukraine.