POLITICAL RELATIONS BETWEEN UKRAINE AND THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN
Recognition of Ukraine by the Kingdom of Sweden: 19 December 1991
Diplomatic relations
On December 19, 1991, Sweden was the first among the Nordic countries to recognize Ukraine's independence.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Sweden were established on January 13, 1992.
History:
In 1918-1920 Ukraine had the Diplomatic Mission in Stockholm, headed by Borys Bazhenov and lately by Kostyantyn Losky.
After establishing the diplomatic relations between the two states, in September 1992 the Embassy of Sweden was opened in Ukraine.
On 31 May 1994, the Diplomatic Mission of Ukraine was opened in Stockholm and headed by non-resident Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Finland.
On 11 February 1999, Olexander Slipchenko presented credentials to H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden as resident Ambassador of Ukraine in Stockholm.
Ambassadors of Ukraine to Sweden: Leonid Kozhara (2003-2004), Dr. Anatoliy Ponomarenko (2007-2008), Yevgen Perebyinis (2008-2011), Dr. Valerii Stepanov (2012-2014), Ihor Sagach (2015-2019).
POLITICAL DIALOGUE:
Sweden is a reliable partner of Ukraine on the European integration path. Relations with Ukraine lie within foreign and security policy priorities of Sweden in Eastern Europe. Significant attention is paid to the implementation of Eastern Partnership initiated by Sweden and Poland. In the framework of the initiative Sweden put forward a large-scale project — Partnership for Energy Efficiency and Environment in Eastern Europe/Ukraine (E5P).
Sweden consistently supports efforts to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as well as the non-recognition policy on the attempted illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and the relevant EU sanctions against Russia.
The bilateral political dialogue is active at all levels:
Phone conversations of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven took place on 9 January and 12 June 2020.
On 4 December 2019 Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven paid a visit to Ukraine.
In September 2019 the President of Ukraine held the bilateral meetings with the Swedish Prime Minister within the framework of the 74th UN GA session and with the Speaker of Riksdag during the visit to Warsaw (Poland) for memorial events on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.
In 2020 Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Sweden Dmytro Kuleba and Ann Linde conducted a number of phone conversations and digital meetings (on April 8, June 10, September 18 and November 13).
On 2-3 March 2020 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde paid a visit to Ukraine.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (Vadym Prystaiko) paid a visit to Sweden on 4-6 November 2019.
On 9 July 2020 Ministers of Defense of Ukraine and Sweden Andriy Taran and Peter Hultqvist conducted a phone conversation.
Minister for International Development Cooperation of Sweden Peter Eriksson attended the Investment forum in Mariupol during his visit to Ukraine on 29-30 October 2019.
The headship and the members of parliament of Ukraine and Sweden maintain the bilateral inter-parliamentary interaction.
On May 25, 2020 Speakers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and Riksdag of Sweden Dmytro Razumkov and Andreas Norlen conducted a digital meeting.
Members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine visited Stockholm with a working trip on 5-6 November 2019.
Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riksdag of Sweden Hans Wallmark paid a visit to Ukraine on 1-2 November 2019.
The Deputies’ group on inter-parliamentary relations with the Kingdom of Sweden has been established in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
In the Riksdag of Sweden there is also a group on inter-parliamentary friendship with Ukraine.
History of visits between Ukraine and Sweden at the highest state level:
Useful links:
Government portal - https://www.government.se/
Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) - https://www.riksdagen.se/en/
Royal Court of Sweden - https://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/news