Sweden in the EU

The European Council meeting of 24–25 March, one month after Russia began its aggression against Ukraine, focused on the conflict and consequences for the EU. The US President attended the meeting for talks on Thursday evening. On Friday the focus was on Europe’s strategic dependence on Russian fossil fuels, the high energy prices in the EU and the green transition.

On 21 March, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist attended a meeting of EU defence ministers devoted to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In a joint session with the foreign affairs ministers, the EU Strategic Compass was approved.

Today, the Govern­ment presen­ted a bill to the Riksdag contain­ing proposals for enhanced protection of children involved in inter­national custody disputes and other inter­national family law cases. The pro­posals com­plement a previously adopted EU Regulation.

The European Commission is working actively to secure a stable energy supply in Ukraine, and the EU must remain unified against Russia’s invasion. Those were the key messages from the press briefing held by Minister for Energy and Digital Development Khashayar Farmanbar and European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson.

Today, 15 March, Minister for Foreign Trade Anna Hallberg received Irish Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Damien English.

The Government considers that concrete changes need to be made to the European energy supply. EU Member States need to reduce their dependence on Russian energy. This was conveyed by Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren and Minister for Energy and Digital Development Khashayar Farmanbar at a press briefing.

At the meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council on 3 March, focus was on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. EU Member States agreed to activate the Temporary Protection Directive.

Towards a green and sustainable deal for sport, digital conference, 3 March 2022, European parliament, Strasbourg Check against delivery.

Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren today presented six areas in which Sweden is pushing for the EU to take further decisions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These would entail additional and tougher sanctions against the Russian leadership and increased direct support to Ukraine.

On 25 February, Minister for Integration and Migration Anders Ygeman and Director General of the Swedish Migration Agency Mikael Ribbenvik held a joint press briefing in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The EU has imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The Government is now calling for a boycott of sporting exchanges with Russia.

On Sunday 27 February, Minister for International Development Cooperation Matilda Ernkrans held a press briefing on Sweden’s support to Ukraine together with Göran Holmqvist, Director of Humanitarian Support at Sida.

The Government has decided to ban Russian aircraft from Swedish airspace. An ordinance to this effect enters into force on 28 February 2022.

The Nordic Ministers of Defence today discussed Russia's actions in Ukraine and gave the following statement.

20 years of progress in criminal justice cooperation within the European Union – digital conference, 18 February 2022, hosted by the French Presidency in the EU Check against delivery.

Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in the meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels on 17 February. During the meeting, Mr Hultqvist attended a special session on cooperation between the EU and NATO at which attendees also discussed the situation in and around Ukraine.

The European Court of Justice decided yesterday that it is possible to stop payments of EU funds to Member States that do not fully respect the rule of law. Sweden played an active role in the legal process in which Poland and Hungary wanted to stop an EU regulation that would allow this.

Heads of state and government from the EU and the African Union (AU) will meet in Brussels on 17–18 February. It is the seventh time the EU and AU leaders will meet. The aim is to establish foundations for a renewed and deepened partnership between the two unions. The leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration on closer cooperation in a range of areas. Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will represent Sweden.

On 16 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde presented the 2022 Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag. Check against delivery.