Ministry for Foreign Affairs

The overarching and long-term objective of Sweden’s Arctic policy is a peaceful and secure Arctic, with sustainable, robust and attractive communities and reduced environmental and climate impact.

Yesterday, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa has presented the Government’s annual award for Swedish volunteer projects in support of Ukraine. The 2026 recipients are Elly Reinolds and OperationChange.

The Government has decided that Sweden will join the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine and the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. Demanding accountability for Russia’s crimes against Ukraine is an important priority for the Swedish Government. The aim is to ensure redress and justice for Ukraine and its people.

On 16 June 2026, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa presented the Government’s 2025 Cultural and Creative Industries Export Prize. This year’s award went to Hazelight Studios, the internationally successful video game company founded by Josef Fares. The Rising Star Award was presented to Hodakova, one of Sweden’s most innovative fashion houses.

The Government has presented a new support package with a focus on democracy and strengthened civil society in Eastern Europe for SEK 30 million for 2026–2028, of which SEK 17 million is earmarked for 2026. The support includes well-established civil society organisations in Europe, with which Sweden has had excellent cooperation over a long time.

Sweden is providing SEK 120 million to support the World Health Organization’s work to achieve better global health, which is of great importance to global health security and people in crisis-affected areas. The WHO’s role is of vital importance and central to how the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is handled.

On 11 June, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard received Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez. Topics of discussion for the meeting included current developments in Panama and internationally, digitalisation issues and trade.

Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States of America condemn the lethal plotting and other malign actions in Europe, North America and Australia by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organisation, Quds Force and Ministry of Intelligence and Security, including those against Iranian dissidents, journalists and Jewish and Israeli communities and interests. We stand united in our determination to protect our countries and our people against these threats. The Islamic Republic of Iran must halt these actions now.

On 16 June 2026, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa will present the Government’s Cultural and Creative Industries Export Prize for achievements in 2025. Among the nominees are internationally successful entrepreneurs from across the cultural and creative sectors.

On 8–10 June, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard is visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The visit will focus on the regional crisis and Sweden’s bilateral relations with the Gulf States.

The Government has presented a support package focused on democracy and free and fair elections in Eastern Europe for 2026 and 2027. The democracy support totals SEK 13.35 million and will go to local elections observation and greater integrity of elections and resilience against disinformation in Armenia and Moldova.

On Wednesday 20 May, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard travelled to Kristianstad along with Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha for a bilateral meeting, a walkabout and a ceremony. Mr Sybiha then undertook other visits in southern Sweden before attending the meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Helsingborg.

On Monday 1 June, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard presented the Government’s new Arctic Strategy at the Defences Museum in Boden. In the new Strategy, the Government clarifies Sweden’s Arctic policy interests and priorities. Swedish Arctic policy is reinforced by defining the links between security policy, resilient communities, the economy, and the environment and climate.

The Government has decided to issue a second guarantee to the World Bank that will enable a loan to Ukraine of approximately SEK 2.5 billion. The loan will be used to cover basic things, such as public expenditure in the Ukrainian central government budget, following Russia’s full-scale invasion.

On 20–21 May, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson received NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The meeting focused on Sweden’s total defence, civil defence and resilience.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Nordic-Baltic countries firmly reject Russia’s blatant disinformation campaign and false claims, supported by Belarus, following the airspace violations in the Nordic-Baltic region. We strongly condemn Russia’s threats of the use of force directed at Latvia and other countries in the region.

The following Ambassadors presented their Letters of credence to His Majesty The King on Friday, 22 May 2026: H.E. KIM Chol Hae, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; H.E. Swahiba Habib Mndeme, United Republic of Tanzania; H.E. Francisco Neto António Novela, Republic of Mozambique; and H.E. Thandazile Penelope Mbuyisa, Kingdom of Eswatini – with residence in London.

In this Communication, the Swedish Government provides an account of Sweden’s export control policy with respect to military equipment and dual-use items in 2025. The Communication also contains a report detailing exports of military equipment during the year. In addition, it describes the cooperation in the European Union (EU) and other international forums on matters relating to strategic export controls on both military equipment and dual-use items.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding regarding bilateral technology cooperation in Helsingborg on 22 May. This will involve greater opportunities for bilateral cooperation in areas such as AI, connectivity, biomedicine, energy, space, quantum technology, advanced manufacturing and defence innovation.