Tobias Billström

On Monday 22 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson are taking part in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and Sudan are on the agenda.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström at Selwyn College, Cambridge, 16 April 2024. Check against delivery.

On 15–16 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström is travelling to the United Kingdom for a visit in London and Cambridge. During the visit, he will meet with his British counterpart Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron for discussions on bilateral relations, NATO and support to Ukraine.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström is launching a high-level group that will provide expert support to Ukraine’s Government during its EU accession process.

On 3–4 April, Mr Billström will take part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels. This is the first time that Sweden will participate as a NATO Ally. A meeting will also be held between NATO foreign ministers and Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba.

On 9–10 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström will host a foreign and security policy meeting in the Nordic-Baltic format (NB8) in Visby.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström at Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, 21 March 2024. Check against delivery.

Today, 20 March, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström presented the Government’s Statement of Foreign Policy following Sweden’s accession to NATO.

On 20 March, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström presented the Statement of Government Policy Following Sweden’s Accession to NATO in the Riksdag. Check against delivery.

On Wednesday 20 March, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström will present the Government’s Statement of Foreign Policy to the Riksdag following Sweden’s accession to NATO.

On Monday 11 March, Sweden’s flag was raised at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, a number of Ministers of the Swedish Government also took part. HRH Crown Princess Victoria, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Micael Bydén and the leaders of the Social Democrats, Sweden Democrats and Centre Party were in attendance as well.

Just before 17.30 CET, Sweden’s instrument of accession was deposited with the United States Government, as depositary of the North Atlantic Treaty. Therefore, Sweden is now a member of NATO.

Opinion piece, The Hindu, 24 February 2024, by Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Denmark, Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Estonia, Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland, Bjarni Benediktsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iceland, Krišjānis Kariņš, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Latvia, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania, Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway, Tobias Billström, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden

Today, two years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Swedish Government considers support to Ukraine in the coming years to be its foremost foreign policy task. Sweden will continue to provide political, humanitarian, military and financial support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.

The EU has adopted its 13th package of sanctions against Russia, focusing on companies in the Russian arms industry. With this package, there are now more than 2 000 names on the list of individuals and entities subject to sanctions.

We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the suffering of the hostages as well as the Israeli government’s plans for a possible ground operation in Rafah, where well over a million Palestinians are currently sheltering from the fighting.

On 21-23 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström will visit New Delhi in the company of Nordic Baltic colleagues to attend the annual Raisina Dialogue. The trip will be undertaken jointly within the framework of the Nordic Baltic cooperation, the NB8. This is the second year in a row that Minister Billström will attend the Raisina Dialogue.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has today summoned the Russian Ambassador in connection with the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

On 20 February, Mr Billström will visit Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), India. The agenda includes meetings with representatives of Karnataka State, discussions with Swedish and Indian companies on digitalisation and new technologies, addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry and a visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation.

Today, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström presented the Government’s 2024 Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag. The Government’s most important foreign policy priorities are support to Ukraine, Sweden’s NATO membership and deepened cooperation in the neighbourhood.