Foreign and security policy

Today, Wednesday 8 June, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell is hosting an international conference on recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine. The aim is to promote and facilitate private sector engagement in these efforts, and to prepare for the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference in London on 21–22 June.

France, Germany, Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union, as members of the Friends of Sudan, express their deep concern about the ongoing violence and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan, including reports about violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, as well as about widespread looting of humanitarian supplies.

As holder of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Sweden hosted the fourth meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Luleå on 30–31 May. Luleå, located in Sweden’s Arctic region, was selected as the venue to showcase Swedish solutions for the green and industrial transitions.

On Tuesday 30 May, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Sweden. On the first day of the visit, he will meet with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström at Luleå air base, Norrbotten Wing (F 21). A press conference will be held after the meeting.

Developments in the Western Balkans were on the agenda for the Foreign Affairs Council meeting of EU foreign ministers on 22 May. At Sweden’s initiative, a working lunch with the foreign ministers from the Western Balkan countries was held in conjunction with the meeting.

New time for the press conference: 12.20. Tomorrow, Friday 26 May, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström will hold a joint press conference with Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares Bueno. At the press conference, the ministers will discuss matters such as Sweden’s application to join NATO and the foreign policy priorities of the Swedish and Spanish Presidencies of the Council of the European Union.

On 30–31 May, Sweden will host a meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) within the framework of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The TTC serves as the main forum for the US and EU to coordinate approaches to key global trade, economic and technology issues. The meeting will be held in Luleå and is the fourth of its kind.

Arctic Council statement on the occasion of the thirteenth meeting of the Arctic Council.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs summoned Iran’s acting Ambassador today, Saturday 6 May, to protest against the execution of Swedish citizen Habib Chaab earlier in the day.

On Wednesday 3 May, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson took part in a Nordic-Ukrainian Summit with Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

At their meeting in Helsinki on 3 May 2023, the Presidents of Finland and Ukraine and the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden issued the following statement.

On Saturday 15 April, intense fighting erupted in Sudan. For the Government, taking quick action was of the utmost importance, and evacuation preparations began the same day. Following a successful evacuation, the Swedish Armed Forces operation has now been concluded, but the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is continuing to provide consular support to Swedes. At the same time, efforts are being intensified to find a solution to the conflict in Sudan and to avoid spillover effects in an already fragile region. Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström comments on the situation.

Today, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs summoned Russia’s Ambassador Viktor Tatarintsev to notify him that five officials at the Russian Embassy in Sweden have been asked to leave the country due to activities that are inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

On Saturday 13 May, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström and EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will co-chair the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm, in the context of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU. With the aim of strengthening the partnership between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region, the meeting will bring together around 60 foreign ministers from the Indo-Pacific region and the EU, along with representatives of Indo-Pacific regional organisations and other partners.

Early this morning, posted staff of the Embassy of Sweden in Khartoum, their accompanying family members and a number of Swedes landed safely at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport.

The International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752, representing Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, today issued the following joint statement:

All NATO member countries have now ratified Finland’s application, and Finland will thereby become a full member in the coming days.

Holding Russia accountable for its violations of international law is a key issue for the Swedish Government. It is essential for justice and redress, both for Ukraine as a State and for the victims of Russia’s war crimes, but also to maintain the rules-based world order. Sweden is backing several initiatives in this area.