On Friday 31 March, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will receive Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă. The visit will take place as part of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU and will focus on European security and our strong and united support for Ukraine. But also the situation in Moldova, as well as the migration and Schengen issue. A joint press conference will be held after the meeting.
On Friday 31 March, Minister for EU Affairs Jessika Roswall will hold a press briefing on the occasion of the halfway point of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
On Thursday 30 March, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson received Austria’s Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer. The visit took place as part of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU and will focus on migration issues and continued support to Ukraine. A joint press conference was held after the meeting.
The European Commission and the Swedish Council Presidency hosted an International Donors’ Conference in support of the people in Türkiye and Syria on 20 March in Brussels.
One year ago, on 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Sweden has provided humanitarian, military and civil support to Ukraine. Sweden’s military support to Ukraine has more than tripled since the current Government took office. Over the last twelve months, the EU – including Sweden – has adopted a series of sweeping sanctions packages against Russia Sweden will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström today presented the Government’s Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag. This year’s Statement of Foreign Policy is Mr Billström’s first in his ministerial post.
The leaders of Sweden, Finland and Norway gathered today in Harpsund, Sweden to discuss common security challenges and close cooperation on issues of foreign, security and defence policy.
In response to the very difficult humanitarian situation resulting from the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, Sweden is contributing with humanitarian support and dispatched experts and material to the affected areas. Sweden also gives extensive core support to many of the organisations currently working in those areas.
The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union has activated the Council’s integrated political crisis response (IPCR) mechanism to coordinate the Member States’ support and, together with the European Commission, has taken the initiative to host a donor conference in Brussels in March.
The Government today presented a large three-part support package to Ukraine. The package includes a procurement cooperation scheme, instructions to the Swedish Armed Forces to prepare the transfer of the Archer Artillery System, and the largest defence equipment package to date. This includes recoilless rifles with ammunition, anti-tank weapons, assault rifles, mine clearance equipment, Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) with ammunition, and light anti-armour weapon Robot 57 (NLAW), worth SEK 4.3 billion.
Sweden holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2023.
Since December 2021, disinformation has been spread concerning Swedish social services taking Muslim children into care without a legal basis. According to the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, there are no indications that the campaign will cease in the near future. Social services employees are being threatened and, in the worst case scenario, this risks leading to children in Sweden not receiving the social support to which they are entitled. The Government is now taking several measures to counteract the disinformation that is being disseminated.
Sweden and the rest of the EU have expressed clear support for the Iranians, especially women and girls, who are peacefully demonstrating for their human rights. Sweden has individually, and together with the other EU Member States, condemned the violence that the Iranian authorities have used against demonstrators. Sweden has also called for those responsible for the death of Mahsa Jina Amini to be held accountable.
Published · Article from Jessika Roswall , Government , Prime Minister's Office
Published · Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs
