# Foreign relations of Sweden

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.

## Foreign policy

The foreign policy of Sweden encompasses a range of themes over the centuries. Some of the main issues include:
* Sweden has historically pursued a policy of neutrality, aiming to avoid involvement in conflicts between major powers. This neutrality allowed Sweden to navigate the tumultuous European political landscape and maintain its sovereignty. It dropped the neutrality policy in 2022–2024 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and joined NATO on 7 March 2024.
* Sweden has sought to maintain a balance of power in Northern Europe, acting as a counterweight to dominant regional powers. This approach aimed to prevent any single power from gaining excessive influence and threatening Swedish interests.
* Sweden's historical dominance in the Baltic Sea region played a crucial role in shaping its diplomatic history. Through territorial expansion, Sweden established control over strategic territories, such as present-day Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and parts of Russia, impacting its relations with neighboring states.
* During the 17th and 18th centuries, Sweden emerged as a major European power, participating in conflicts such as the Thirty Years' War and the Great Northern War. Its diplomatic efforts were often influenced by power struggles with other European great powers, such as Russia and Poland.
* Sweden has actively engaged in peace mediation efforts, seeking to resolve conflicts and broker peace agreements. Notable examples include the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War, and various mediation efforts during the 20th century.
* Sweden has a longstanding tradition of promoting international cooperation, human rights, and humanitarian initiatives. It has been involved in the establishment of international organizations such as the League of Nations and the United Nations, and has championed causes such as humanitarian aid and disarmament.
* Sweden has pursued close ties and cooperation with its neighboring Nordic countries, particularly Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway. This commitment to Scandinavian unity has been reflected in diplomatic initiatives, trade agreements, and cultural exchanges.
* Sweden's relationship with the European Union (EU) has been a significant theme in its recent diplomatic history. While Sweden joined the EU in 1995, it has maintained a somewhat reserved approach, often balancing its national interests with EU membership.
* Sweden has been an advocate for global development and has provided substantial aid to developing countries. It has sought to address global inequalities and promote sustainable development through its aid programs, often challenging neocolonial practices.
* In the 21st century, Sweden has gained attention for its feminist foreign policy approach, which aims to integrate gender equality into its diplomatic efforts. Sweden has been a leading advocate for women's rights globally, emphasizing the inclusion and empowerment of women in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and development processes.

## 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.

## 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 began | Notes |
| European Union | | See 1995 enlargement of the European Union Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995. |
| NATO | | 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:
Date :
| 1 | Denmark | 6 June 1523 |
| 2 | France | October 1541 |
| 3 | Netherlands | April 1614 |
| 4 | Portugal | 29 July 1641 |
| 5 | Spain | 1651 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 23 December 1653 |
| 7 | Russia | 15 March 1722 |
| 8 | United States | 29 April 1818 |
| 9 | Brazil | 1826 |
| 10 | Greece | 24 January 1833 |
| 11 | Belgium | 23 February 1837 |
| 12 | Venezuela | 5 September 1839 |
| 13 | Argentina | 3 January 1846 |
| 14 | Italy | 23 December 1859 |
| 15 | Japan | 11 January 1868 |
| 16 | Thailand | 18 May 1868 |
| 17 | Colombia | 11 December 1874 |
| 18 | El Salvador | 1 October 1876 |
| 19 | Mexico | 29 July 1885 |
| 20 | Chile | 14 June 1895 |
| 21 | Iran | 5 September 1897 |
| 22 | Cuba | 20 November 1902 |
| 23 | Norway | 18 November 1905 |
| 24 | Uruguay | 6 August 1906 |
| 25 | Bulgaria | 6 July 1914 |
| 26 | Switzerland | 3 September 1915 |
| 27 | Romania | 18 March 1916 |
| 28 | Serbia | 1 November 1917 |
| 29 | Finland | 10 January 1918 |
| 30 | Poland | 2 August 1919 |
| 31 | Austria | 10 January 1920 |
| 32 | Hungary | 12 November 1920 |
| 33 | Czech Republic | 18 November 1920 |
| 34 | Egypt | 25 November 1922 |
| 35 | Luxembourg | 25 January 1923 |
| 36 | Paraguay | 24 February 1923 |
| 37 | Turkey | 1 August 1925 |
| 38 | Guatemala | 9 December 1930 |
| 39 | Ecuador | 21 September 1931 |
| 40 | Bolivia | 2 February 1932 |
| 41 | South Africa | 30 November 1934 |
| 42 | Honduras | 1936 |
| 43 | Iraq | 1936 |
| 44 | Nicaragua | 1936 |
| 45 | Panama | 3 July 1937 |
| 46 | Costa Rica | 26 November 1937 |
| 47 | Peru | 11 February 1938 |
| 48 | Iceland | 27 July 1940 |
| 49 | Afghanistan | 22 November 1940 |
| 50 | Haiti | 31 March 1941 |
| 51 | Dominican Republic | 16 July 1942 |
| 52 | Canada | 4 August 1944 |
| 53 | Ethiopia | 27 December 1945 |
| 54 | Lebanon | 7 February 1946 |
| 55 | Ireland | 18 July 1946 |
| 56 | Philippines | 17 January 1947 |
| 57 | Syria | 24 June 1947 |
| 58 | Australia | 24 September 1947 |
| 59 | India | 22 June 1948 |
| 60 | Sri Lanka | 18 November 1949 |
| 61 | Pakistan | 24 November 1949 |
| 62 | New Zealand | 1949 |
| 63 | China | 9 May 1950 |
| 64 | Israel | 4 November 1950 |
| 65 | Indonesia | 23 November 1950 |
| 66 | Germany | 4 April 1951 |
| 67 | Myanmar | 22 February 1956 |
| 68 | Tunisia | 1956 |
| 69 | Sudan | 27 October 1957 |
| 70 | Jordan | 1957 |
| 71 | Saudi Arabia | 1957 |
| 72 | Liberia | 6 June 1958 |
| 73 | Malaysia | 6 June 1958 |
| 74 | Morocco | 1958 |
| 75 | South Korea | 11 March 1959 |
| 76 | Nepal | 10 June 1960 |
| 77 | Somalia | 13 July 1960 |
| 78 | Cyprus | 12 December 1960 |
| 79 | Libya | 1960 |
| 80 | Senegal | 8 May 1961 |
| 81 | Nigeria | 3 October 1961 |
| 82 | Benin | 21 November 1961 |
| 83 | Madagascar | 1961 |
| 84 | Ghana | 27 April 1962 |
| 85 | Guinea | 26 November 1962 |
| 86 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1962 |
| 87 | Sierra Leone | 1962 |
| 88 | Algeria | 19 July 1963 |
| 89 | Ivory Coast | 31 December 1963 |
| 90 | Kenya | January 1964 |
| 91 | Cambodia | 19 February 1964 |
| 92 | Uganda | 9 April 1964 |
| 93 | Tanzania | 29 May 1964 |
| 94 | Mongolia | 30 June 1964 |
| 95 | Cameroon | 24 September 1964 |
| 96 | Laos | 10 October 1964 |
| 97 | Kuwait | 22 December 1964 |
| 98 | Niger | 1964 |
| 99 | Zambia | 1964 |
| 100 | Mali | 25 January 1965 |
| 101 | Burundi | 7 December 1965 |
| 102 | Republic of the Congo | 1965 |
| 103 | Gabon | 1965 |
| 104 | Malawi | 1965 |
| 105 | Singapore | 8 February 1966 |
| 106 | Trinidad and Tobago | July 1966 |
| 107 | Gambia | 1968 |
| 108 | Lesotho | 1968 |
| 109 | Vietnam | 11 January 1969 |
| 110 | Albania | 20 June 1969 |
| 111 | Malta | June 1969 |
| 112 | Burkina Faso | 1969 |
| 113 | Equatorial Guinea | 1969 |
| 114 | Yemen | 29 September 1970 |
| 115 | Mauritania | 14 December 1970 |
| 116 | Botswana | 19 December 1970 |
| 117 | Bangladesh | 12 April 1972 |
| 118 | United Arab Emirates | 1972 |
| 119 | Qatar | 29 March 1973 |
| 120 | North Korea | 7 April 1973 |
| 121 | Eswatini | 1973 |
| 122 | Mauritius | 1973 |
| 123 | Tonga | 21 January 1974 |
| 124 | Bahrain | 25 January 1974 |
| 125 | Jamaica | 5 February 1974 |
| 126 | Oman | 15 March 1974 |
| 127 | Rwanda | 1974 |
| 128 | Guinea-Bissau | 14 March 1975 |
| 129 | Guyana | 16 June 1975 |
| 130 | Mozambique | 25 June 1975 |
| 131 | Barbados | 19 March 1976 |
| 132 | Papua New Guinea | 10 November 1976 |
| 133 | Cape Verde | 4 December 1976 |
| 134 | Comoros | 1977 |
| 135 | Samoa | 1977 |
| 136 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 1977 |
| 137 | Suriname | 15 March 1978 |
| 138 | Togo | 15 March 1978 |
| 139 | Angola | 22 March 1978 |
| 140 | Bahamas | 9 May 1978 |
| 141 | Maldives | 21 August 1978 |
| 142 | Fiji | 3 April 1979 |
| 143 | Seychelles | 14 August 1979 |
| 144 | Solomon Islands | 24 October 1979 |
| 145 | Djibouti | 20 February 1980 |
| 146 | Zimbabwe | 18 April 1980 |
| 147 | Grenada | 4 December 1980 |
| 148 | Vanuatu | 27 September 1981 |
| 149 | Saint Lucia | 1981 |
| 150 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 June 1982 |
| — | Holy See | 2 August 1982 |
| 151 | Belize | 17 November 1982 |
| 152 | Central African Republic | 1983 |
| 153 | Dominica | 3 May 1984 |
| 154 | Brunei | 1984 |
| 155 | Bhutan | 27 August 1985 |
| 156 | San Marino | 13 December 1988 |
| 157 | Namibia | 21 March 1990 |
| 158 | Estonia | 28 August 1991 |
| 159 | Latvia | 28 August 1991 |
| 160 | Lithuania | 28 August 1991 |
| 161 | Liechtenstein | 24 October 1991 |
| 162 | Ukraine | 13 January 1992 |
| 163 | Belarus | 14 January 1992 |
| 164 | Croatia | 29 January 1992 |
| 165 | Slovenia | 29 January 1992 |
| 166 | Marshall Islands | 12 February 1992 |
| 167 | Kyrgyzstan | 25 March 1992 |
| 168 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 April 1992 |
| 169 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 April 1992 |
| 170 | Kazakhstan | 7 April 1992 |
| 171 | Uzbekistan | 8 April 1992 |
| 172 | Turkmenistan | 10 April 1992 |
| 173 | Azerbaijan | 8 May 1992 |
| 174 | Moldova | 12 June 1992 |
| 175 | Armenia | 10 July 1992 |
| 176 | Federated States of Micronesia | 26 August 1992 |
| 177 | Georgia | 19 September 1992 |
| 178 | Tajikistan | 9 December 1992 |
| 179 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11 December 1992 |
| 180 | Slovakia | 1 January 1993 |
| 181 | Eritrea | 24 June 1993 |
| 182 | North Macedonia | 20 December 1993 |
| 183 | Andorra | 16 March 1995 |
| 184 | Chad | 3 August 1995 |
| 185 | Palau | 9 August 1995 |
| 186 | Timor-Leste | 20 May 2002 |
| 187 | Montenegro | 26 June 2006 |
| — | Kosovo | 28 March 2008 |
| 188 | Monaco | 30 January 2009 |
| 189 | South Sudan | 9 July 2011 |
| 190 | Tuvalu | 24 August 2012 |
| 191 | Kiribati | 28 September 2012 |
| 192 | Nauru | 28 September 2012 |
| — | State of Palestine | 30 October 2014 |

## Africa

| Region | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Egypt | 25 November 1922 | Both 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. |
| Mozambique | 25 June 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 June 1975. Mozambique has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Maputo. |
| Nigeria | 3 October 1961 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 October 1961. Nigeria has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Abuja. |
| South Africa | | See South Africa-Sweden relations South Africa has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Pretoria. |
| Sudan | 27 October 1957 | Both 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. |
| Tanzania | 29 May 1964 | Both 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. |
| Tunisia | | See Sweden–Tunisia relations Sweden has an embassy in Tunis. Tunisia has an embassy in Stockholm. |
| Zimbabwe | 30 April 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 April 1980 when first Ambassador of Mozambique to Zimbabwe presented his credentials. |

## Americas

| Region | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Argentina | | See Argentina–Sweden relations Argentina has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Buenos Aires. |
| Belize | 17 November 1982 | Both 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. |
| Bolivia | 2 February 1932 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1932. Bolivia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in La Paz. |
| Brazil | | See Brazil–Sweden relations Brazil has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Brasília. |
| Canada | | See Canada–Sweden relations See also: Swedish Canadian 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. 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. |
| Chile | 1827 | See Chile–Sweden relations Chile has an embassy in Stockholm and a consulate in Gothenburg. Sweden has an embassy in Santiago. |
| Colombia | 11 December 1874 | 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. |
| Guyana | 16 June 1975 | Both 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. |
| Mexico | 1850 | See Mexico–Sweden relations. Mexico has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Mexico City. |
| Peru | 11 February 1938 | See 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. |
| United States | 29 April 1818 | See Sweden–United States relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 April 1818. See also: Swedish American 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

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Armenia | 10 July 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1992. Armenia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden opened an embassy in Yerevan 2014. Sweden has recognized the Armenian genocide on March 29, 2000. There are around 8,000 people of Armenian descent living in Sweden. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe. |
| Azerbaijan | 8 May 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 May 1992. The embassy of Sweden in Baku opened in 2014. Azerbaijani opened an embassy in Stockholm. Currently, approximately 10 thousand Azerbaijanis live in Sweden, and in addition about 30 thousand Azerbaijanis from Iran. In 2006, a diaspora organization called «Odlar yurdu» was established in Sweden. In 2010, the Congress of Swedish Azerbaijanis was established. |
| China | | See China–Sweden relations. China has an embassy in Stockholm and a consulate-general in Gothenburg. Sweden has an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including Sweden, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups, urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang internment camps. |
| Georgia | 19 September 1992 | See Georgia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 September 1992. Georgia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Tbilisi. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe. Georgia is an EU candidate and Sweden is an EU member. |
| India | | See India–Sweden relations. |
| Indonesia | | See Indonesia–Sweden relations. |
| Iran | 5 September 1897 | See Iran–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 September 1897 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Persia to Sweden with residence in St. Peterbourg Mirza Reza Khan Ar Faed-Doouleh. |
| Iraq | | See Iraq–Sweden relations. The Swedish Embassy in Iraq is permanently closed after attacks by protesters over Quran Burning on the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. Iraq severed ties with Sweden since July 2023, after Swedish authorities allowed a man to burn the Iraqi flag and the Quran in front of the Iraqi Embassy, Stockholm. |
| Israel | | See Israel–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1949. Israel has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Tel Aviv. |
| Japan | 1868 | See Japan–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1868 by signing the Swedish-Japanese Treaty in 1868. Sweden has an embassy in Tokyo. Sweden has consulates in Kobe and Fukuoka. Japan has an embassy in Stockholm. |
| Kazakhstan | 7 April 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 April 1992. Sweden has an embassy in Astana. Kazakhstan has an embassy in Stockholm. |
| Kuwait | 22 December 1964 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 December 1964 when Sweden opened its embassy in Kuwait. |
| Malaysia | | See Malaysia–Sweden relations. Diplomatic relations were established in 1958. Sweden has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia has an embassy in Stockholm. As of 2009, 90 Swedish companies are present in Malaysia and about 450 Swedish citizens live in Malaysia. |
| North Korea | April 7, 1973 | See North Korea–Sweden relations. North Korea has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Pyongyang. |
| Palestine | October 30, 2014 | See Palestine–Sweden relations. |
| Saudi Arabia | | See Saudi Arabia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1957. |
| South Korea | 11 March 1959 | See South Korea–Sweden relations The establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Sweden began on March 11, 1959. Sweden has a Working Holiday Program agreement with South Korea. There is no quote for South Korean citizens working in Sweden. South Korea has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Seoul. Sweden has consulates in Busan, Daegu, Daejon, Gwangju, Hongcheon, Incheon. Sweden and South Korea are member states of the UN, WTO and OECD. South Korean MFA relations with the Kingdom of Sweden |
| Syria | 24 June 1947 | See Sweden–Syria relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 June 1947 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Syria with residence in Cairo, Widar Bagge. |
| Turkey | | See Sweden–Turkey relations. Sweden has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden is an EU member and Turkey is a candidate. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, NATO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Union for the Mediterranean. Sweden supports Turkey's European Union membership. Turkey did not fully support the accession of Sweden to NATO until January 2024, whereupon it was accepted. |

## Europe

| Region | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Albania | 20 June 1969 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 June 1969. Albania has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Tirana. Both countries are members of NATO. Albania is an EU candidate and Sweden is an EU member. |
| Austria | | Austria has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Vienna. There are 7,000 Austrians living in Sweden. There are 2,000 Swedes living in Austria. Both countries became members of the European Union on 1 January 1995. |
| Belarus | 14 January 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 January 1992. There are 3,000 Belarusian living in Sweden and above 1,000 Swedes living in Belarus. Belarus has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Minsk. Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. |
| Belgium | 23 February 1837 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 February 1837 when has been accredited Chargé d'Affaires of Belgium to Sweden baron T. Vander Straten Ponthoz. There is an ethnic group of Walloons living in Sweden making up the 8,000 Belgians living in Sweden and 5,000 Swedes living in Belgium. Belgium has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an ambassador accredited to Belgium based in Stockholm. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 15 December 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 December 1992. |
| Bulgaria | July 6, 1914 | There are approximately 3,000 Swedes living in Bulgaria and Bulgaria has embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an ambassador accredited to Bulgaria based in Stockholm. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and of the European Union and NATO. |
| Croatia | 29 January 1992 | See Croatia–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 January 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Zagreb. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Croatia joined on 1 July 2013. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Cyprus | | See Cyprus–Sweden relations. Cyprus has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Nicosia. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Cyprus joined on 1 May 2004. |
| Czech Republic | 1 January 1993 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1993. Czech Republic has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Prague. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Denmark | | See Denmark–Sweden relations. Today, both countries are separated by the Øresund, which links the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Both countries are full members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, of the Council of Europe, and of the European Union. There are around 21,000 Swedes living in Denmark and there are around 42,000 Danes living in Sweden. Denmark has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Copenhagen. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Estonia | 28 August 1991 | See Estonia–Sweden relations. Estonia was under Swedish rule between 1561 and 1721 Sweden recognized Estonia on 4 February 1921. Sweden resumed diplomatic relations with Estonia on 28 August 1991. Estonia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Tallinn. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Finland | | See Finland–Sweden relations. Finnish–Swedish relations have a long history (Sweden and Finland were the same country for several hundred years), due to the close relationship between Finland and Sweden. Particularly in Finland, the issue emerges in frequent exposés of Finnish history, and in motives for governmental proposals and actions as reported in Finnish news broadcasts in English or other foreign languages. In Sweden, this relationship is a recurrent important theme of 20th-century history, although maybe by most Swedes considered to be an issue of purely historical relevance now that both countries have been members of the European Union since 1995. Finland has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Helsinki and a consulate-general in Mariehamn. Both countries became members of the European Union on 1 January 1995. Both countries applied for NATO membership on 18 May 2022. Finland became a member on 4 April 2023, while Sweden became a member on 7 March 2024. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| France | | See France–Sweden relations. France has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Paris. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Germany | | See Germany–Sweden relations. Germany has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Berlin. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Greece | 24 January 1833 | See Greece–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 January 1833 when Carl Peter von Heidenstam (until then Consul General) was appointed as Chargé d'Affaires of the Kingdom of Sweden and Norway in Greece. Greece has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Athens. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Hungary | | See Hungary–Sweden relations. Diplomacy relations between the two countries started on December 28, 1945. Hungary has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Budapest. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Hungary joined on 1 May 2004. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Iceland | | See Iceland–Sweden relations. Iceland has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Reykjavík. Both countries are members of NATO. |
| Ireland | 18 July 1946 | See Ireland–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 July 1946. Ireland has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Dublin. Both countries are full members of Council of Europe and of the European Union. |
| Italy | 23 December 1859 | See Italy–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 December 1859 when the first interim Chargé d'Affaires, Giov. Antonio Migliorati, was appointed. Italy has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Rome. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Kosovo | | See Kosovo–Sweden relations. Sweden recognized Kosovo on March 4, 2008. Liaison Office of Sweden in Pristina, subordinated to the embassy in Skopje, North Macedonia. On March 8, 2008, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt became the first foreign minister to officially visit Kosovo since it declared its independence. Sweden currently has 243 troops serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers in the NATO led Kosovo Force. Kosovo has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Pristina. |
| Latvia | 28 August 1991 | See Latvia–Sweden relations. Sweden recognized Latvia on 4 February 1921. Sweden resumed diplomatic relations with Latvia on 28 August 1991. Latvia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Riga. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Latvia joined on 1 May 2004. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Lithuania | 28 August 1991 | See Lithuania–Sweden relations. Sweden resumed diplomatic relations with Lithuania on 28 August 1991. Lithuania has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Vilnius. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Lithuania joined on 1 May 2004. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Moldova | 12 June 1992 | See Moldova–Sweden relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 June 1992. Sweden is one of Moldova's top donors. From 1996, Sweden provided Moldova with technical assistance worth 30 million dollars, which significantly helped strengthen sectors such as: protection of human rights, democracy, good governance, public health, education, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, transport and the private sector. Much of the aid is delivered through the Swedish International Development Agency. In 2007, the Swedish Government established the 2007–2010 strategy of cooperation with Moldova, which sees 11 million euros in financial assistance annually for three important sectors: good governance, strengthening of com petitiveness in the rural area and reduction of vulnerability in the energy sector. Moldova has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Chişinău. Moldova is an EU candidate and Sweden is an EU member. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe. |
| The Netherlands | | See Netherlands–Sweden relations. The Netherlands has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and of the Council of Europe. |
| Norway | | See Norway–Sweden relations. Norway has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Oslo. Both countries are members of NATO. |
| Poland | | See Poland–Sweden relations. Poland has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Warsaw. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Poland joined on 1 May 2004. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Portugal | | See Portugal–Sweden relations. Portugal has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Lisbon. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Romania | 1 November 1916 | Romania has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Bucharest. Sweden joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995, while Romania joined on 1 January 2007. Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Russia | | See Russia–Sweden relations. Russia has an embassy in Stockholm and a consulate-general in Gothenburg. Sweden has an embassy in Moscow and a consulate-general in Saint Petersburg. |
| Serbia | | See Serbia–Sweden relations. Serbia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Belgrade. Serbia is an EU candidate and Sweden is an EU member. |
| Slovenia | | Slovenia is accredited to Sweden from its embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sweden is accredited to Slovenia from its embassy in Budapest, Hungary. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Spain | | See Spain–Sweden relations. Spain has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Madrid. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe. |
| Switzerland | | Sweden has an embassy in Bern. Switzerland has an embassy in Stockholm. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe. |
| Ukraine | 13 January 1992 | See Sweden–Ukraine relations. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 January 1992. A Ukrainian information bureau was opened 1916 in Stockholm by Volodymyr Stepankivskyi and M. Zaliznyak. In 1918 an official diplomatic mission from the Ukrainian People's Republic headed by K. Lossky was opened in Stockholm. Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Sweden were established on January 13, 1992. Sweden has an embassy in Kyiv. Ukraine has an embassy in Stockholm. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe. Sweden is an EU member and Ukraine is a candidate. |
| United Kingdom | | See Sweden–United Kingdom relations. Sweden has an embassy in London. United Kingdom has an embassy in Stockholm. Both countries are members of NATO. |

## Oceania

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Australia | | See Australia–Sweden relations. Australia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Canberra and eight honorary consulates: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. |
| Fiji | 3 April 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 April 1979. |
| New Zealand | | See New Zealand–Sweden relations. New Zealand has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden is accredited to New Zealand from its embassy in Canberra. |