The foreign policy of Sweden was formerly based on the premise that national security is best served by staying free of alliances in peacetime in order to remain a neutral country in the event of war, with this policy lasting from 1814 in the context of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars until the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine. In 2002, Sweden revised its security doctrine. The security doctrine at that point still stated that "Sweden pursues a policy of non-participation in military alliances," but permitted cooperation in response to threats against peace and security. The government also seeks to maintain Sweden's high standard of living. These two objectives required heavy expenditures for social welfare, defence spending at rates considered low by Western European standards (around 1.2% of GNP prior to 2022), and close attention to foreign trade opportunities and world economic cooperation. In 2024, Sweden formally became part of a military alliance for the first time since the end of the War of the Sixth Coalition by joining NATO.
United Nations
Sweden has been a member of the United Nations since November 19, 1946, and participates actively in the activities of the organization, including as an elected member of the Security Council (1957–1958, 1975–1976, 1997–1998 and 2017–2018), providing Dag Hammarskjöld as the second elected Secretary-General of the UN, etc. The strong interest of the Swedish Government and people in international cooperation and peacemaking has been supplemented in the early 1980s by renewed attention to Nordic and European security questions.
Sweden decided not to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
European Union
After the then Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson had submitted Sweden's application in July 1991 the negotiations began in February 1993. Finally, on January 1, 1995, Sweden became a member of the European Union. While some argued that it went against Sweden's historic policy of neutrality, where Sweden had not joined during the Cold War because it was seen as incompatible with neutrality, others viewed the move as a natural extension of the economic cooperation that had been going on since 1972 with the EU. Sweden addressed this controversy by reserving the right not to participate in any future EU defence alliance. In membership negotiations in 1993–1994, Sweden also had reserved the right to make the final decision on whether to join the third stage of the EMU "in light of continued developments." In a nationwide referendum in November 1994, 52.3 percent of participants voted in favour of EU membership. Voter turnout was high, 83.3 percent of the eligible voters voted. The main Swedish concerns included winning popular support for EU cooperation, EU enlargement, and strengthening the EU in areas such as economic growth, job promotion, and environmental issues.
In polls taken a few years after the referendum, many Swedes indicated that they were unhappy with Sweden's membership in the EU. However, after Sweden successfully hosted its first presidency of the EU in the first half of 2001, most Swedes today have a more positive attitude towards the EU. The government, with the support of the Center Party, decided in spring 1997 to remain outside of the EMU, at least until 2002. A referendum was held on September 14, 2003. The results were 55.9% for no, 42.0% yes and 2.1% giving no answer ("blank vote").
Nordic Council Swedish foreign policy has been the result of a wide consensus. Sweden cooperates closely with its Nordic neighbors, formally in economic and social matters through the Nordic Council of Ministers and informally in political matters through direct consultation.
Nonalignment
Swedish neutrality and nonalignment policy in peacetime may partly explain how the country could stay out of wars since 1814. Swedish governments have not defined nonalignment as precluding outspoken positions in international affairs. Government leaders have favored national liberation movements that enjoy broad support among developing world countries, with notable attention to Africa. During the Cold War, Sweden was suspicious of the superpowers, which it saw as making decisions affecting small countries without always consulting those countries. With the end of the Cold War, that suspicion has lessened somewhat, although Sweden still chooses to remain nonaligned. Sweden has devoted particular attention to issues of disarmament, arms control, and nuclear nonproliferation and has contributed importantly to UN and other international peacekeeping efforts, including the NATO-led peacekeeping forces in the Balkans. It sat as an observer in the Western European Union from 1995 to 2011, but it is not an active member of NATO's Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
Sweden's engagement with NATO was especially strengthened during the term of Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Sweden's nonalignment policy has led it to serve as the protecting power for a number of nations who don't have formal diplomatic relations with each other for various reasons. It currently represents the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations in North Korea for consular matters. On several occasions when the United Kingdom broke off relations with Iran (including the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the Salman Rushdie affair, and the 2011 storming of the British embassy in Tehran), Sweden served as the protecting power for the UK.
In May 2022, Sweden formally applied to join the NATO alliance. The public opinion in the Nordic region had changed in favour of joining NATO since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 of the same year.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in March 2022 that her government would have to respond if Sweden became a NATO member. However, in June 2022 President Vladimir Putin contradicted the statement, claiming that Sweden and Finland can "join whatever they want" on the condition that there will be no NATO military deployment in either country.
In March 2024, Sweden officially ended this period of nonalignment when it joined NATO.
Military Sweden has employed its military on numerous occasions since the end of the Cold War, from Bosnia and Congo to Afghanistan and Libya. According to one study, "this military activism is driven both by the Swedish internationalist tradition of "doing good" in the world, but also for instrumental purposes. These include a desire for political influence in international institutions, an interest in collective milieu shaping, and a concern to improve the interoperability and effectiveness of the Swedish military."
Participation in international organizations
AfDB Amnesty International AsDB Australia Group BIS CBSS CERN Council of Europe EAPC EBRD ECE EIB ESA EU FAO G-9 G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU ITUC MINURSO NAC NATO NEA NIB Nordic Council NSG OECD OPCW OSCE PCA PFP Transport Community UN UNCTAD UNEP UNESCO UNHCR UNHRC UNIDO UNIKOM UNITAR UNMEE UNMIBH UNMIK UNMOGIP UNMOP UNOMIG UNTAET UNTSO UPU WCO WEU (observer) WFP WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTrO Zangger Committee
Multilateral Organization Formal relations beganNotesSee 1995 enlargement of the European Union Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995. See Sweden–NATO relations Sweden joined NATO as a full member on 7 March 2024.
Diplomatic relations List of countries which Sweden maintains diplomatic relations with: #CountryDate123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150—151152153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187—188189190191192—
Africa Region Formal relations beganNotes25 November 1922Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 November 1922 when Harald Bildt took up the post of first Swedish Minister to Egypt. Egypt has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Cairo.25 June 1975Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 June 1975. Mozambique has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Maputo.3 October 1961Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 October 1961. Nigeria has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Abuja.See South Africa-Sweden relations
South Africa has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Pretoria.27 October 1957Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 October 1957 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Sudan (Resident in Addis Ababa) Dr. Bjorn Axel Eyvind Bratt. Sudan has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Khartoum.29 May 1964Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 May 1964 when Otto Gustaf Rathsman presented his credentials as Sweden's Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar to President Nyerere. Sweden has an embassy in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has an embassy in Stockholm. See Sweden–Tunisia relations
Sweden has an embassy in Tunis. Tunisia has an embassy in Stockholm.30 April 1980Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 April 1980 when first Ambassador of Mozambique to Zimbabwe presented his credentials.
Americas Region Formal relations beganNotesSee Argentina–Sweden relations
Argentina has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Buenos Aires.17 November 1982Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 November 1982. Belize has an honorary consulate in Stockholm. Sweden is accredited to Belize from its embassy in Guatemala City and maintains an honorary consulate in Belmopan.2 February 1932Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1932. Bolivia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in La Paz.See Brazil–Sweden relations
Brazil has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Brasília.See Canada–Sweden relations
Relations with Canada are close, positive and constructive. Both countries have strong commitments to peacekeeping, UN reform, development assistance, environmental protection, sustainable development, and the promotion and protection of human rights.Canada-Sweden Relations In addition, there are more than 300,000 Canadians of Swedish descent. Canada has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Ottawa. Both countries are members of NATO.1827See Chile–Sweden relations
Chile has an embassy in Stockholm and a consulate in Gothenburg. Sweden has an embassy in Santiago.11 December 1874See Colombia–Sweden relations Colombia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Bogotá. Sweden is the 6th largest trade partner of Colombia in the European Union.16 June 1975Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 June 1975. Guyana has an honorary consulate in Stockholm. Sweden has an ambassador accredited to Guyana based in Stockholm.1850See Mexico–Sweden relations.
Mexico has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Mexico City.11 February 1938See Peru–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 February 1938.
Peru has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden is accredited to Peru from its embassy in Santiago, Chile.Embassy of Sweden in Chile29 April 1818See Sweden–United States relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 April 1818.
Sweden and the United States have had strong ties since the 18th century. Sweden has an embassy in Washington, D.C. United States has an embassy in Stockholm. Both countries are members of NATO.
Asia