# Sweden - United States Department of State

- The United States Condemns Malicious Cyber Activity Targeting Germany, Czechia, and Other EU Member States Matthew Miller, Department SpokespersonThe United States strongly condemns the malicious cyber activity by Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), also known as APT28, against Germany, Czechia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Sweden.  We join Germany in attributing specific malign activity carried out by APT28 that targeted a German political party.APT28, also known as Fancy Bear, Strontium, and Forest Blizzard, is a well-known threat actor with a long history of engaging in malicious, nefarious, destabilizing and disruptive behavior.  The United States has previously indicted and sanctioned actors associated with APT28 for their involvement in a wide range of malign cyber activity, including cyber activities aimed at interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, and sustained hack-and-leak operations targeting the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that intended to undermine and sow doubt in the integrity of the organization.The U.S. Department of Justice has worked with Germany to remediate a network of hundreds of small office/home office routers that APT28 was using to conceal and carry out malicious activity, including the exploitation of CVE-2023-23397 against targets in Germany.  The DOJ action further blocked the GRU from regaining access to remediated devices.Russia’s pattern of behavior blatantly disregards the Framework for Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace, as affirmed by all United Nations Member States.  The United States is committed to the security of our allies and partners and upholding the rules-based international order, including in cyberspace.  We call on Russia to stop this malicious activity and abide by its international commitments and obligations.  With the EU and our NATO Allies, we will continue to take action to disrupt Russia’s cyber activities, protect our citizens and foreign partners, and hold malicious actors accountable.
- Joint Statement on the Inaugural U.S.-Sweden Cyber and Digital Dialogue Office of the SpokespersonThe following joint statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden, on the occasion of the inaugural U.S.-Sweden Cyber and Digital Dialogue.Begin Text:The United States and Sweden held their inaugural bilateral Cyber and Digital Dialogue on May 2, 2024, in Washington, DC.  The United States and Sweden affirmed their ongoing partnership on cyberspace and digital policy issues.  Both sides reiterated their commitment to promote an open, free, global, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet and stable cyberspace, and to protect and respect human rights online.U.S. and Swedish officials exchanged views on the importance of strengthening the security of the ICT ecosystem and protecting privacy, intellectual property rights, and respect for human rights.  This includes promoting the development and deployment of secure and trusted 5G networks in advanced and emerging economies to help ensure countries, companies, and citizens can trust the firms that provide ICT equipment, software, and services are not subject to authoritarian regimes that can force them to share personal data without judicial recourse.  Both sides recognized the progress made in open radio access networks, including on industry scale, security, cost efficiency, sustainability and performance.  Both sides decided to further strategic collaboration on trusted connectivity, including through exploring opportunities to leverage the co-financing arrangement between the U.S. Export-Import Bank and Sweden’s export credit agency EKN.  Both sides also decided to further collaboration in promoting open and transparent digital ecosystems and trusted digital infrastructure in partner countries, taking into account the recently extended collaboration between development agencies Sida and USAID on Alleviating Poverty through Science, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships.Both sides reiterated the importance of cooperation on shared principles for the research and development of 6G and FutureG wireless communication systems.  Both sides welcomed the recent Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific and Technological Research Cooperation between the U.S. National Science Foundation, Sweden’s Innovation Agency Vinnova, and the Swedish Research Council, to promote cooperation on next generation networks including 6G, as well as research areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning; chemical sensing; quantum information sciences; and STEM education.  The United States and Sweden plan to explore further opportunities to advance bilateral collaboration in advanced wireless, including 6G.Both sides discussed a range of digital policy issues, including cybersecurity of cloud services, AI governance, and secure and trusted data flows, emphasizing their importance in supporting strong transatlantic digital cooperation and a competitive and innovative digital economy.  U.S. and Swedish officials welcomed discussions on the UN Global Digital Compact, which Sweden and Zambia co-facilitate.The Cyber and Digital Dialogue included exchanges on trust, privacy, and accountability in cyberspace and identified further action to strengthen cooperation to investigate, prevent, disrupt, deter, and otherwise respond to malicious cyber activity.  Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Framework of Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace, grounded in the application of international law, adherence to voluntary norms, and implementation of cyber confidence building measures.  Both sides also continue to promote establishing the UN Cyber Programme of Action to advance and support states in the framework’s implementation.  Both sides discussed further coordination to advocate for third countries to enact legislation in line with the provisions of the Convention on Cybercrime of the Council of Europe (Budapest Convention) and engage in accession to the treaty.  U.S. and Swedish officials reaffirmed the importance of bilateral and multilateral collaboration to address cybercrime, including through the UN Ad Hoc Committee process.  Acknowledging the rise in cyber threats, both sides discussed deepening their collaboration in enhanced cyber resilience, including bolstering information sharing between law enforcement and Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), conducting cyber exercises, addressing AI and other emerging technology-related cybersecurity risks, and tackling challenges related to quantum-resistant cryptography.  Both sides discussed ways to continue cybersecurity assistance to Ukraine, including through the Tallinn Mechanism.Both sides stressed the importance of information integrity and exchanged views on how best to advance it.  Officials also discussed ongoing collaboration on countering the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware and noted the importance of ensuring that the development and use of AI is rights-respecting.Nathaniel Fick, Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the U.S. Department of State, and Andrés Jato, Ambassador for International Cyber and Digital Affairs at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, launched the dialogue with opening remarks that highlighted the importance of U.S.-Sweden cooperation on cyber and digital issues.  On the U.S. side, the dialogue was chaired by Steve Lang, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Information and Communications Policy for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the U.S. Department of State, and Liesyl Franz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the U.S. Department of State.  The United States was also represented by the Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the National Cyber Director, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the International Trade Administration, and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.  Sweden was represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, the National Security Council, and the Embassy of Sweden to the United States.End Text.
- Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Lewis Travels to Sweden and Czechia Office of the SpokespersonAssistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis travels to Sweden and Czechia, April 27-May 1, 2024, where she will meet with senior civilian and military officials, as well as defense industry executives to discuss regional security cooperation and supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s aggression.In Stockholm, Sweden, Assistant Secretary Lewis will meet with our newest NATO Ally to build on longstanding defense cooperation to meet shared regional security challenges. In Prague, Czechia, Assistant Secretary Lewis will meet with senior military officials as well as defense manufacturers to address the urgent need for enhancing the Alliance’s defense capabilities.For further information, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at PM-CPA@state.gov and follow @StateDeptPM on Twitter.						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Bureau of Political-Military Affairs																								Czech Republic																								Office of the Spokesperson																																Official International Travel																															Sweden
- Sweden HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Sweden				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Sweden																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																											c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																											f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)																																																																											g. Stateless Persons																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Indigenous Peoples																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																											Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Sweden during the year.There were no credible reports of significant human rights abuses.The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, during the year.There were widespread killings by criminal groups.  The government continued its offensive against organized crime by allocating extensive resources to the judiciary and law enforcement.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The constitution and law prohibited such practices and there were no credible reports that government officials employed them.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Prison conditions were generally safe, and prisoners were generally well treated.  There were cases of overcrowding, prolonged isolation, and detention for periods longer than the legal limit.Abusive Physical Conditions:  Detention centers, jails, and prisons suffered from overcrowding and, at times, stopped visits from family members due to the lack of staff resources.  Media reported in November 2022 there was an increase in the number of minors isolated in detention centers for periods longer than the legal limit of three months.  Based on statistics from the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, media reported July 13 that violence and threats in women’s prisons had significantly increased.The justice ombudsperson on February 14 criticized the prison in Mariefred for isolating inmates without proper cause.Administration:  Authorities conducted investigations of credible allegations of mistreatment.Independent Monitoring:  The government permitted monitoring by independent, nongovernmental observers.  The Red Cross conducted weekly visits to prisons and detention centers, including visits with individuals held in custody by the Swedish Migration Agency.Improvements:  The government expanded prison cell capacity by more than 500 cells.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution and law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court.  The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						Police were required to file charges within six hours against persons who were detained for disturbing public order or who were considered dangerous, and within 12 hours against individuals detained on other grounds.  Police could hold a person six hours for questioning, or up to 12 hours without a court order if it was deemed necessary for the investigation.  Police could hold a person under age 15 for three hours for questioning, or up to six hours without a court order if it was deemed necessary for the investigation.  After questioning, authorities were required either to arrest or release an individual, based on the level of suspicion.  If a suspect was arrested, the prosecutor had 24 hours (or three days in exceptional circumstances) to request continued detention.  Authorities were required to arraign an arrested suspect within 48 hours and begin initial prosecution within two weeks unless there were extenuating circumstances.  Authorities generally respected these requirements.  In its 2021 report, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) expressed concern that, despite authorities’ assurances to the contrary, notification of custody of detainees was frequently delayed, often until the first court hearing and sometimes up to the full four days in police custody.  Police officers with whom the CPT delegation spoke confirmed this was routine practice and expressed their belief that the matter lay with the senior investigators or prosecutors in charge of a case.Although there was no system of bail, courts routinely released defendants pending trial unless authorities considered them dangerous, had reason to believe they would tamper with witnesses or evidence, or believed the suspects might leave the country.  The law limited pretrial detention to a maximum of three months for children and nine months for adults.  The law afforded detainees prompt access to lawyers.  The CPT report noted that access to legal counsel was at times delayed.  A suspect had a right to legal representation when the prosecutor requested their detention beyond 24 hours (or three days in exceptional circumstances).  Detainees could retain a lawyer of their choice.  In criminal cases the government was obligated to provide an attorney, regardless of the defendant’s financial situation.  Suspects were frequently detained incommunicado for longer periods than the law permitted.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The constitution and law provided for an independent judiciary and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.																Trial Procedures						The constitution provided for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.While defendants had a right to a public trial, cases of a sensitive nature, including those involving children, rape, and national security, could be closed to the public.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The constitution and law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right.  An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for media members.Freedom of Expression:  The law criminalized expression considered to be “hate speech” and prohibited threats or statements of contempt for a group or member of a group based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, religious belief, or sexual orientation.  Penalties for hate speech ranged from fines to a maximum of four years in prison.  The country’s courts held it was illegal to wear xenophobic symbols or racist paraphernalia or to display signs and banners with inflammatory symbols at rallies.Violence and Harassment:  On August 23, Reporters Without Borders reported that journalists who lived in exile in Sweden were regularly followed and threatened.  On March 19, unidentified individuals in Stockholm assaulted journalist Ahmet Dönmez, who lost consciousness and was treated in intensive care.  Dönmez left Turkiye in 2015 and reported on alleged links between organized crime and the Turkish state.Censorship or Content Restrictions for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media:  An espionage law that entered into force on January 1 criminalized the unauthorized disclosure of secret information that could damage the country’s relations with other countries or international organizations.  Although outlets could escape penalties if the purpose of an act was deemed justifiable, for example for journalistic and opinion-forming purposes or to reveal abuse against an individual, that determination was up to the courts.  Critics including the Swedish branch of the nongovernmental organization (NGO) International Commission of Jurists and major media companies SVT and Radio Sweden argued the amendment could encourage self-censorship and discourage sources from stepping forward because whistleblowers might not be protected.  Member of the European Parliament Abir Al-Sahlani, RSF, and the newspaper Journalisten warned the country’s Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation legislation was insufficient to protect journalists and explained that media often used geo-blocking to avoid lawsuits from actors in other countries.Libel/Slander Laws:  Defamation was a criminal offense punishable by fines or a maximum of two years in prison in the case of gross defamation.  Media reported few cases of libel or slander reached courts.Actions to Expand Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media:  Parliament enacted new legislation to protect journalists from threats, effective August 1.  The new law enhanced criminal penalties for crimes against media professionals.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content.  Companies that acquired a publisher’s license were exempt from data protection laws and could publish residents’ personally identifiable information, including addresses and financial information.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The constitution provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The constitution and law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum:  The law provided for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government had established a system for providing protection to refugees.  Applicants could appeal unfavorable asylum decisions.Refoulement:  On August 4, the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Rights reported the Swedish Migration Agency (SMA), the Migration Court, and the Migration Court of Appeal had systematically denied lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) refugees asylum and extradited them to countries where they risked the death penalty.  The report alleged the criteria which authorities used in credibility assessments for these cases were contrary to Swedish and international law.  The SMA denied these allegations.  Between November 2020 and May, authorities denied asylum claims in 1,305 out of 1,360 such cases (96 percent) that were examined.Access to Basic Services:  Ukrainian refugees under the Temporary Protection Directive older than 18 only received emergency medical and dental care.Durable Solutions:  The government accepted refugees for resettlement, offered naturalization to refugees residing on the country’s territory continuously for two to five years, and assisted in refugees’ voluntary return to their homes with logistical and monetary support.Temporary Protection:  The government provided temporary protection to approximately 45,000 individuals from Ukraine who might not have qualified as refugees.																																				f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)										Not applicable.																																				g. Stateless Persons										According to the UNHCR’s 2022 Global Trends Report, 42,511 stateless persons were in the country.  This was due to the influx of migrants and refugees and the birth of children to stateless parents who remained stateless until either one parent acquired citizenship or a special application for citizenship (available for stateless children under the age of five) was made.  The country lacked a definition of a stateless person as well as a statelessness determination procedure in domestic law.  The country had not acceded to the Council of Europe Convention on the Avoidance of Statelessness in Relation to State Succession or the Convention on the Rights of all Migrant Workers and their Families, and there was no specific procedure to determine the nationality of children at birth.  In 2021, the UNHCR recommended the country “introduce a definition of a stateless person in Swedish law, establish a statelessness determination procedure, and ensure that children born stateless in Sweden will acquire citizenship automatically or as soon as possible after birth.”Stateless persons who were granted permanent residence could obtain citizenship through the same naturalization process as other permanent residents.  Gaining citizenship generally took four to eight years, depending upon the individual’s grounds for residency, ability to establish identity, and lack of a criminal record.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The constitution provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections:  National elections in 2022 were widely reported to be fair and free of abuses and irregularities.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.  There were isolated reports of government corruption.For additional information concerning corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country, and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Strategy Control Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						A variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction to monitor or investigate human rights conditions or cases and publish their findings.  Government officials were often cooperative and responsive to the views of these groups.Government Human Rights Bodies:  The country had nine national ombudspersons:  four justice ombudspersons; the chancellor of justice; the children’s ombudsperson; the consumer ombudsperson; the child and school student ombudsperson; and the equality ombudsperson with responsibility for ethnicity, gender, transsexual identity, religion, age, sexual orientation, and persons with disabilities.  There were normally ombudspersons at the municipal level as well.  The ombudspersons enjoyed the government’s cooperation and operated without government or party interference.  They had adequate resources, and observers considered them generally effective.  In the spring of 2022, the government created a truth commission to investigate the abuses of the Indigenous Sami community by the state.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence:  Rape of a person, regardless of gender, including spousal rape, and domestic or intimate partner violence were illegal, and the government enforced the law effectively.  Penalties for violations ranged from two to 10 years in prison.Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C):  The law prohibited FGM/C for women and girls and the government enforced the law efficiently.  Penalties for violation ranged from two to 10 years in prison.  The National Board of Health and Welfare estimated in June that approximately 68,000 women and girls may have been exposed to some form of FGM/C.  The government had an action plan against FGM/C and several government agencies actively worked to eradicate the practice.Other Forms of Gender-based Violence or Harassment:  Honor-related violence often involved immigrants from the Middle East, Africa, or South Asia.  Cases mostly concerned child or forced marriage, abduction or being held abroad, or FGM/C.Discrimination:  The law provided the same legal status and rights for women as for men, and those laws were generally respected.Reproductive Rights:  There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.The government provided access to safe, effective, and equal reproductive health care regardless of gender or sexual orientation, as well as access to contraception of choice.  Emergency contraception was also available.  The government continued an investigation into how virginity testing and hymen reconstruction surgery could be banned, and on July 3, the investigating committee reported that the practices took place in the country, within a cohort of private medical practitioners.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services for survivors of sexual violence.  Emergency contraception and postexposure prophylaxes were available as part of clinical management of rape.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The constitution charged public institutions with promoting equality in society and combating discrimination.  The constitution prohibited unfavorable treatment based on ethnic origin, color, or other similar characteristics, and the government generally respected these rights.Police registered reports of xenophobic crimes, some of which were linked to neo-Nazi or white supremacy ideology.  Police investigated and the district attorney’s office prosecuted race-related crimes.  The Security Service concluded that right-wing extremism was on the rise in the country; right-wing propaganda spread more widely, and more individuals were interested in it.  Neo-Nazi groups operated legally.There were cases of discrimination targeting vulnerable EU citizens, most of whom were Roma from Romania and Bulgaria who resided in the country.  Roma were subjected to discrimination in health care, education, and employment, as well as exclusion from societal functions due to stereotypes.  Roma were often denied the right to rent apartments and the right to home language teaching.  As EU citizens, these individuals were allowed to stay in the country without permission for up to three months, although authorities did not enforce this limit.The country’s official minority languages were varieties of Finnish, Yiddish, Meankieli, Romani Chib, and Sami.  The government allocated funds to preserve and promote the official minority languages.Police officers received training to identify and investigate hate crimes.  Emergency call responders received continuous training to identify hate crime motives in crime reports.  Police cooperated with the NGO Victim Support Sweden that helped and supported survivors, witnesses, and others affected by crime.Police in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmo had democracy and antihate crime groups.  The National Center for Preventing Violent Extremism, under the auspices of the National Council for Crime Prevention, served as a clearinghouse for information, best practices, and support of municipalities, agencies, and other actors.																																				Indigenous Peoples										The constitution charged public institutions with promoting opportunities for members of the Indigenous Sami people to preserve and develop cultural and social lives of their own.  The approximately 20,000 to 40,000 Sami in the country held citizenship and had the right to vote in elections and participate in the government, including through election to the country’s parliament.  They were not represented as a group in parliament.  A 31-member elected administrative authority called the Sametinget (Sami parliament) represented the Sami community.  The Sami parliament acted as an advisory body to the government and had limited decision-making powers in matters related to preserving the Sami culture, language, and schooling.  The national parliament and government regulations governed the Sami parliament’s operations.The Sami Parliament Consultation Order required the government, government agencies, regions, and municipalities to consult with the Sami Parliament or other Sami representatives on issues of special significance to the Sami community.  Sami and human rights groups welcomed this consultation but criticized the law for not specifying how much influence Sami representatives had over decision-making after consultations occurred.Longstanding tensions between the Sami and the government over land and natural resources persisted, as did tensions between the Sami and private landowners over reindeer grazing rights.  Certain Sami held grazing and fishing rights, depending on their history.In March 2022, the government gave Beowulf Mining a concession to mine in an area located on traditional Sami grazing land.  UNESCO and the UN high commissioner for human rights expressed concern regarding the mine’s impact on the environment and reindeer husbandry.Threats against the Sami and the killing of their reindeer took place.  The National Council for Crime Prevention continued to investigate crimes targeting the Sami.  In February, police reported a high number of unrecorded hate crimes against Sami individuals.  Hate crimes often originated from disputes surrounding land rights.																																				Children										Child Abuse:  The law prohibited individuals from abusing children mentally or physically.  The government enforced the law effectively and penalties ranged from a fine up to 10 years in prison.  Cases of child abuse were reported.  Authorities could remove abused children from their homes and place them in foster care.  Rape of a child carried a penalty of two to 10 years in prison.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage:  The minimum age for marriage was 18, and it was illegal for anyone younger than 18 to marry.  The government effectively enforced the law.  The government legally recognized the marriage of anyone who came to the country after the age of 18 as valid, even if they were married abroad before the age of 18.  The government did not recognize a foreign child marriage if either of the parties was a Swedish citizen or resident in the country at the time of marriage.  Compelling or allowing a child to marry was punishable by up to two years in prison.  Municipalities’ social welfare services could petition administrative courts to issue travel restrictions to protect at-risk children from being taken out of the country for marriage.  Such children were not to be issued passports and passports that were issued were to be rescinded.  The law made it a crime to take a child who was subject to travel restrictions out of the country with punishment of up to two years in prison for violations.  Girls with a migrant background and LGBTQI+ children were especially vulnerable.  Forced marriages were used to prohibit some LGBTQI+ children from living in accordance with their gender identity.Sexual Exploitation of Children:  The law criminalized “contact with children under 15 for sexual purposes,” including internet contact intended to lead to sexual assault.  Penalties ranged from fines to one year in prison.  The law prohibited the sale of children with penalties ranging from two to 10 years in prison.  It also banned child pornography with penalties ranging from fines to six years in prison.  Authorities enforced the law.  The minimum age for consensual sex was 15.																																				Antisemitism										Leaders of the Jewish community estimated there were 15,000 Jews and 6,000 registered members of Jewish congregations in the country.Antisemitic hate crimes included threats, verbal abuse, vandalism, graffiti, harassment in schools, and Holocaust denial.  Antisemitic incidents were often perpetrated by groups associated with neo-Nazi movements or corresponded with events in the Middle East.  Local Jews were often targeted for antisemitic attacks based on the actions of the Israeli government.  The government effectively enforced laws to counteract antisemitism.On January 5, media reported that a Jewish school in Gothenburg hired security guards for protection in response to threats.  On April 5, the artist Dan Park was accused of incitement to ethnic or racial hatred after putting a can with the text “Zyklon-B” on a fence outside the Gothenburg Synagogue.  In May, a Sweden Democratic politician questioned the existence of the Holocaust and media outlets reported several Sweden Democrat politicians purchased anti-Jewish propaganda online.On January 25, the government increased financial support to the Living History Forum (a public authority commissioned to address societal problems related to religious and ethnic tolerance, democracy, and human rights, using the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity as its starting point) to increase knowledge regarding antisemitism among youth.  On January 26, the government launched an initiative to fight antisemitism and strengthen “Jewish life” in the country through education efforts, increased security for members of the Jewish community, and promotion of Jewish culture.For further information on incidents in the country of antisemitism, whether or not those incidents were motivated by religion, and for reporting on the ability of Jews to exercise freedom of religion or belief, please see the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization:  There were no laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, cross-dressing, or other sexual or gender characteristic-related behaviors including de facto discrimination.Violence and Harassment:  LGBTQI+ persons were at higher risk of being subjected to physical violence than the general population but received protection by the police.  According to the most recent statistics released by the National Council for Crime Prevention, there were 429 reports of hate crimes against LGBTQI+ persons in 2020.Discrimination:  The law prohibited discrimination by state and nonstate actors based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.  The law explicitly recognized LGBTQI+ couples and their families and granted them rights equal to rights of other persons.  The government generally enforced these laws and supported efforts to promote equality and counteract discrimination.  A 2022 report by the Swedish Agency for Environment Expertise stated that transgender persons perceived a higher level of exclusion in male-dominated employment sectors and that both bisexual and transgender persons perceived a higher level of discrimination overall.  Inappropriate jokes, lack of trust, and discriminatory statements based on lack of knowledge were the issues most commonly cited in the report.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition:  There was a legal gender recognition law, but legal gender recognition procedures were not based on self-identification.  The right to change one’s legal gender required a psychiatric or psychological evaluation, but it did not require surgery.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices:  According to a 2022 study, one out of five LGBTQI+ persons between 16 and 25 experienced someone trying to have that person change, permanently hide, or refrain from living in accordance with their sexual orientation or gender identity or express their gender in the way the person wanted; 5 percent experienced more serious forms of so-called conversion therapy.  The most severe cases included physical abuse, withholding food, and sexual violence.  So-called conversion therapy practices were not banned.  Surgeries were not performed on children or nonconsenting adult intersex persons.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly:  There were no laws or other restrictions on individuals speaking or media reporting on LGBTQI+ matters, on the ability of LGBTQI+ individuals to assemble in public or private or to form associations, or on the ability of LGBTQI+ organizations to legally register or convene events.																																				Persons with Disabilities										The law prohibited discrimination based on disability and the government enforced it effectively.  Persons with disabilities were able to access health services, public buildings, and transportation on an equal basis with others and access education and employment to a certain extent.  Only 52 percent of persons with disability were employed according to Statistics Sweden’s April 28 report.  Government regulations required new buildings and public facilities to be fully accessible.  The government enforced these provisions.  Government information and communication on disability concerns were provided in accessible formats.  Observers reported cases of insufficient access to privately owned buildings used by the public, such as apartments, restaurants, and bars.  Some means of public transportation remained inaccessible.The Agency for Participation reported the level of education was lower among persons with disabilities than among others in the population and rates of attendance for children with disabilities differed between elementary and secondary school.  Agency reports revealed two reasons:  special support was provided too late and students with disabilities felt more insecure about participating in school than other students.  Depending on the level of disability, children attended schools with their peers or attended special resource schools.  On May 31, the equality ombudsperson required that a swimming pool facility in Malmo pay compensation for refusing a person with disability and their personal assistant entry.																																				Other Societal Violence or Discrimination										Societal discrimination and violence against immigrants continued to be a problem.Several districts where most of the population was of immigrant origin or parentage suffered social segregation from the rest of the country.  The result was lower levels of education, higher levels of unemployment, and separation from the country’s mainstream culture.  This was mainly due to poor Swedish-language skills.According to two 2022 Stockholm County Board research reports conducted by Uppsala University and Lund University, discrimination against immigrants from Africa in the labor market was widespread.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provided for the right of workers to form and join independent unions, bargain collectively, and conduct legal strikes.  The law prohibited antiunion discrimination and provided for protection of workers from being fired because of union activity.  If a court found a dismissal to be unlawful, the employee had the right to reinstatement.  Foreign companies could be exempted from collective bargaining provided they met minimum working conditions and levels of pay.  Public sector employees enjoyed the right to strike, subject to limitations in the collective agreements protecting the public’s immediate health and security.  The government mediation service could also intervene to postpone a strike for up to 14 days for mediation.  The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) claimed the law restricted the rights of the country’s trade unions to take industrial action on behalf of foreign workers in foreign companies operating in the country.  The law allowed unions to conduct their activities largely without interference.The government effectively enforced laws protecting freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right for workers to strike.  The Labor Court settled any dispute that affects the relationship between employers and employees.  An employer organization, an employee organization, or an employer who had entered into a collective agreement on an individual basis could lodge claims.  The Labor Court could impose penalties for violations commensurate with those under other laws involving denials of civil rights.  Penalties were regularly applied against violators.  Administrative and judicial procedures were not subject to lengthy delays and appeals.Workers and employers exercised all legal collective bargaining rights that were protected by the government.  The government and employers respected freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.  ITUC reported no serious violations of worker rights in the year through October.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										The law prohibited all the worst forms of child labor.  It permitted full-time employment from the age of 16 under the supervision of local authorities.  Employees younger than 18 could work only during daytime and under adult supervision.  Children as young as 13 could work part-time or perform light work with parental permission.  The law limited the types of work in which children could or could not engage.  For example, a child could not work with dangerous machinery or chemicals.  A child also could not work alone or be responsible for handling cash transactions.  The law considered a violation of these limits a civil rather than a criminal violation.According to the law, forcing a child to work could be treated as coercion, deprivation of liberty, or child abuse, and it carried a wide range of penalties, including fines and imprisonment.  The government effectively enforced these laws and regulations.  Criminal penalties were commensurate with those for other serious crimes, such as kidnapping, and inspection was sufficient to enforce compliance.  Penalties were regularly applied against violators.Some boys were subjected to forced begging and errands for criminal gangs, including killings.  Some girls were subjected to sexual exploitation, forced begging, and child marriage.  Police and social services reportedly acted promptly when these prohibited cases were reported.																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws:  There was no national minimum wage law.  Annual collective bargaining agreements set wages within industries, which were greater than the poverty income level.  By regulation, both foreign and domestic employers were required to offer conditions of employment on par with the country’s collective agreements.  Nonunion establishments generally observed these contracts as well.The labor law and collective bargaining agreements regulated overtime and rest periods.  The law allowed a maximum of 200 hours of overtime annually.  Collective agreements determined compensation for overtime, which could take the form of money or time off.  The law required a minimum period of 36 consecutive hours of rest, preferably on weekends, over a seven-day period.Occupational Safety and Health:  Occupational safety and health (OSH) standards were appropriate for the main industries.  Responsibility for identifying unsafe situations remained with OSH experts and not the worker.If an employee found that the work involved an immediate and serious danger to life or health, the employee had to immediately notify the employer or safety ombudsperson.  Workers had the right to remove themselves from unsafe conditions without jeopardy to their employment.  Safety ombudspersons had the authority to stop unsafe activity immediately and to call an inspector.  An employer could be fined for violating OSH regulations.Foreign seasonal workers, including berry pickers, faced poor living and working conditions and were at risk of labor trafficking.  Guidelines of the Swedish Retail and Food Federation covered EU citizens who picked berries in the country but not workers from outside the EU.  Under the guidelines, berry pickers were to be informed that they had the right to sell their berries to all buyers and that nobody had the right to control how, when, and where they picked wild berries.  A foreign company providing berry pickers to a local company also was required to demonstrate how it expected to pay workers in case of limited work or a bad harvest.  The guidelines tasked food and retail organizations and brokers with ensuring their implementation.The construction, transport, and manufacturing sectors had the greatest number of deaths caused by industrial accidents.  Vehicles were often involved in the accidents.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement:  The Work Environment Authority effectively enforced wage, overtime, and OSH laws.  Penalties were commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud or negligence.  Penalties were regularly applied against violators.In 2022, the Work Environment Authority conducted approximately 24,000 inspections.  Inspectors had the authority to conduct unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions, but the number of labor inspectors was not sufficient to enforce International Labor Organization compliance.  The Work Environment Authority issued occupational health and safety regulations and trained union stewards and safety ombudspersons whom government inspectors monitored.The government continued to implement a national strategy to counter work-related crime in the informal labor sector.  Such crime mainly occurred in construction, restaurant, transport, and cleaning industries, as well as in health care and social services.  The Work Environment Authority founded regional centers in Gothenburg and Umea and worked with the EU to counteract work-related crime.  There were no data on the size of the informal labor sector.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																						c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																						f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)																																																						g. Stateless Persons																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Indigenous Peoples																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																						Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Sweden
- United States Welcomes Switzerland and Sweden’s Signing of the Artemis Accords Office of the SpokespersonYesterday, the United States welcomed Switzerland and Sweden into the Artemis Accords family as we strengthen collaboration in space, to include scientific research, education, commercial ventures, and efforts to ensure the sustainable use of space environments.Switzerland became the 37th signatory to the Artemis Accords on April 15 and Sweden became the 38th signatory on April 16.Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research Guy Parmelin signed for Switzerland during a ceremony at NASA headquarters in the presence of NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and the State Department’s Office of Space Affairs Director Valda Vikmanis Keller.Sweden’s Minister for Education Dr. Mats Persson signed for Sweden during a ceremony in Stockholm in the presence of U.S. Ambassador Erik Ramanathan.  Participants viewed pre-recorded remarks by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by the United States and seven other countries.  They set out a practical set of principles to guide space exploration.  Switzerland and Sweden join 36 other nations – Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay – in affirming the Accords’ principles for sustainable civil space activity.  The Department of State and NASA lead the United States’ outreach and implementation of the Accords.For more information, please visit https://www.state.gov/artemis-accords/.  For media inquiries, please contact OES-Press@state.gov.
- Senior Official for the DPRK Pak’s Travel to Romania, Poland, and Sweden Office of the SpokespersonU.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Dr. Jung Pak will travel to Bucharest, Romania; Warsaw, Poland; and Stockholm, Sweden April 8-12 to discuss the threats posed by the DPRK’s unlawful nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, malicious cyber activity, and deepening military and political partnership with Russia. She will also discuss opportunities for promoting dialogue and diplomacy with the DPRK. Her travel is part of ongoing U.S. efforts to coordinate closely with allies and partners on the global security implications of the DPRK threat.
- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan Office of the SpokespersonThe below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met yesterday in Washington with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.  Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Fidan discussed U.S.-Türkiye cooperation regarding Syria, the South Caucasus, and achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East.  The Secretary and Foreign Minister agreed to enhance trade and investment between the United States and Türkiye and reaffirmed that, notwithstanding Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Black Sea region must remain safe and secure.  They also recognized the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Türkiye Fulbright program and welcomed the accession of Sweden as the 32nd NATO Ally.  Their meeting capped two days of senior-level bilateral discussions held under the auspices of the U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism.
- Joint Statement on the U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism Office of the SpokespersonThe text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Türkiye on the occasion of the seventh meeting of the U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism.Begin Text:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan presided over the seventh meeting of the U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism on March 7-8, 2024, in Washington.  The Strategic Mechanism featured open, collaborative, strategic discussions led by senior-level officials from the U.S. Department of State and Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 7, followed by a meeting between Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan on March 8.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan reiterated their commitment to a results-oriented, forward-looking, positive bilateral agenda that advances shared objectives and addresses emerging global challenges.  They discussed strengthening the U.S.-Türkiye relationship on a wide range of issues, including regional priorities, counterterrorism, defense cooperation, economic growth, trade, energy security and climate change, and people-to-people ties.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan reiterated the support of the United States and Türkiye for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russia’s unacceptable war.  The United States welcomed Türkiye’s efforts in the Black Sea, including the recently announced mine countermeasure task group and the facilitation of vital safe routes for grain and other international commerce.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan discussed the ongoing crisis in Gaza and reviewed their respective diplomatic engagements. They underlined the importance of finding a path towards ending the conflict and addressing the humanitarian crisis immediately. They also reaffirmed their commitment to a durable two-state solution.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan reiterated the need to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.  The United States and Türkiye relaunched the Türkiye-U.S. Counterterrorism Consultations during the Strategic Mechanism to expand cooperation against terrorism and addressing related networks engaged in organized crime and drug trafficking, as threats to their respective national security.  The Secretary reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the PKK terrorist organization, DHKP-C, as well as ISIS/DAESH targeting Türkiye and Turkish interests.  The United States and Türkiye reiterated their shared commitment to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS/DAESH in Syria and Iraq and discussed cooperation to counter the threat of ISIS/DAESH and al-Qa&#8217;ida affiliates present in Africa and Central Asia.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan discussed all aspects of the Syrian crisis and reiterated the commitment of the United States and Türkiye to a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned political process in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.  Türkiye and the United States reiterated the importance of the repatriation of ISIS affiliated detainees and displaced persons from northeast Syria to their countries of origin, where they can be rehabilitated and reintegrated into their communities of origin, and, as appropriate, brought to justice.The two sides also addressed broader issues in the Middle East and Africa, including the need to build regional stability and connections through increased economic and security cooperation.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan discussed the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and underscored the importance of preserving stability and channels for communication.  The Secretary welcomed ongoing engagement between Türkiye and Greece, including the Fifth High-Level Cooperation Council in December 2023, in Athens and the signing of a Türkiye-Greece Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness.On the South Caucasus, Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan committed to work together to promote a balanced and lasting peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and concurred that this would promote regional stability, cooperation, and welfare.Looking ahead to the 75th NATO Summit in Washington, Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan discussed ways to bolster NATO coordination and solidarity in the face of current threats and challenges.  They reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to collective defense as Allies, as well as to NATO’s Open Door Policy.  As NATO’s two largest armed forces, both sides reiterated the importance of our commitments, as well as our renewed, two-way defense trade relationship to enhance capabilities, ensure interoperability and increase the strength of our collective security.  The two ministers welcomed Sweden’s accession as the 32nd NATO Ally that will strengthen the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security.Looking forward, Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan discussed opportunities to transform the U.S.-Türkiye security and defense relationship to build upon each country’s significant capabilities and innovation to meet strategic challenges and opportunities.  In this regard, they announced the U.S.-Türkiye Defense Trade Dialogue would meet in 2024 and both countries would pursue opportunities to advance defense industrial cooperation.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan appreciated the continuous growth in U.S.-Türkiye-bilateral trade, which has reached over 30 billion.  They reaffirmed the importance of expanding economic and commercial cooperation and building upon existing bilateral fora—such as the Digital Dialogue, held on March 4 in Türkiye—to broaden and deepen our economic cooperation.  The two sides discussed capitalizing on financing opportunities under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to create high standards for infrastructure in developing nations.  Both sides endorsed an Energy and Climate Dialogue (ECD), which will be launched and co-chaired by the U.S. Department of Energy and Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources together with the participation of the U.S. State Department and Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The ECD will advance energy security and the energy transition in both countries and cooperation on climate change. Both sides acknowledged, particularly in light of net zero targets, the growing importance of civil nuclear energy, both conventional and Small Modular Reactors, developed to the highest standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation, and encouraged Turkish and US public and private sectors to explore opportunities and develop concrete proposals for cooperation in this field.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan also recognized people-to-people relations between the two countries as one of the pillars of the bilateral relationship.  This year’s 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Türkiye Fulbright program is illustrative of this connection.  The two sides acknowledged the 2021 Cultural Property Agreement through which 72 Turkish cultural and historic artifacts have been returned to Türkiye since the Agreement’s entry into force as a reference point for the strength of our partnership.Secretary Blinken and Minister Fidan welcomed their opportunity to use the Strategic Mechanism to build a positive, forward-looking, strategic vision to advance shared objectives.  The two sides look forward to the continued advancement of the U.S.-Turkish strategic relationship and welcomed increased bilateral meetings.End Text.
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken Receives Sweden’s NATO Instruments of Accession Before Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State													HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Antony J. Blinken Receives Sweden’s NATO Instruments of Accession Before Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Antony J. Blinken Receives Sweden’s NATO Instruments of Accession Before Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson																																		Remarks																														March 7, 2024																																							MODERATOR:&nbsp;&nbsp;Good morning, everyone.&nbsp; Thank you for being here today.&nbsp; Prime Minister Kristersson, accompanied by Foreign Minister Billström, will now deposit Sweden’s instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty, with Secretary of State Blinken representing the United States of America as the depositary of the treaty.&nbsp;(The instrument was deposited.)SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Welcome.&nbsp; (Applause.)&nbsp; Well, good things come to those who wait.&nbsp; (Laughter.)&nbsp;&nbsp; No better example.&nbsp; But with receipt of this instrument of accession, let me be the very first to welcome Sweden as a party to the Washington Treaty and the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.&nbsp; (Applause.)&nbsp;Prime Minister, to you, to my friend the foreign minister, a personal note of thanks for your extraordinary leadership, your extraordinary vision, and your resilience.&nbsp; This has been a little bit of a road, but I think we’ve known from day one, that we would be here today, and now we are.&nbsp; This is a historic moment for Sweden.&nbsp; It’s historic for our Alliance.&nbsp; It’s historic for the transatlantic relationship.&nbsp; Our NATO Alliance, our defensive alliance, is now stronger and larger than it’s ever been.&nbsp;But I think if you step back and think of where we were three years ago, none of this was foreordained and in fact, none of this was foreseeable.&nbsp; Sweden had a 200-year-old policy of nonalignment.&nbsp; And before Putin’s re-invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, if you looked at the polling, less than one-third of Swedes supported joining NATO.&nbsp; This was part and parcel of Sweden’s history, and then everything changed.&nbsp; After the invasion, three-quarters of the Swedish people made clear their desire to join. &nbsp;Swedes realized something very profound: that if Putin was willing to try to erase one neighbor from the map, then he might well not stop there.&nbsp;And if he was allowed to proceed with impunity, not only would his aggression potentially continue, but would-be aggressors everywhere would get the message that it was open season.&nbsp; And so, the Swedish people stood up – stood up not only for their own country, but stood up to the common responsibility that we share to try to make sure that the very foundations of the international system that we all rely on – to have peace, to have security, to have opportunity – when they were challenged, we were there to defend them.&nbsp; Sweden was there to defend them.&nbsp; And I think what this tells us even more profoundly is the reaffirmation of Sweden’s democratic character: change driven by its people, by its citizens.&nbsp;There’s also no clearer example than today of the strategic debacle that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has become for Russia.&nbsp; We see a Russia that is now weaker militarily, economically, diplomatically.&nbsp; Its standing in Ukraine has changed dramatically, whereas before 2014 – the first invasion – people were open to positive relations with Russia; now, virtually the entire society – and not just today; probably for generations – has turned against Russia because of its aggression.&nbsp; And fundamentally our Alliance is now, as I said, both larger and stronger than it’s ever been.&nbsp; And we see again and again and again that everything Putin sought to prevent, he’s actually precipitated by his actions, by his aggression; and there’s no clearer example of that than Sweden becoming a member of this Alliance.&nbsp;But even once that decision was made, none of this was easy.&nbsp; None of this was obvious.&nbsp; It’s taken two years – nearly two years – of tireless diplomacy, together with the extraordinary Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg to achieve ratification by every NATO member.&nbsp; And again, the determination of Sweden’s leadership, the extraordinary diplomacy that it’s&nbsp;exerted, making sure that every question was answered, every challenge was met, every obstacle was overcome – that’s what brought us to today.Now, some doubted that we’d get here.&nbsp; We never did, and we are here.This, of course, is also built on an extraordinary foundation of partnership between Sweden and NATO that goes back many, many years.&nbsp; Sweden has long been an active partner with NATO Allies – training together, exercising together, working together.&nbsp; And fundamentally, the reason this is such a strong, powerful fit is because Sweden embodies and promotes the core values that are at the heart of NATO: democracy, liberty, the rule of law.&nbsp; And it also brings some unique capabilities to this enterprise – unique capabilities in the Arctic and Baltic Seas.&nbsp; And this year, of course, Sweden will contribute more than 2 percent of its GDP to defense; and continue to show the way for all NATO members.If you go back to 1949 at the signing of the NATO Treaty, President Truman said this, and I quote: “In taking steps to prevent aggression against our own peoples, we have no purpose of aggression against other peoples.&nbsp; We hope to create a shield against aggression and the fear of aggression, a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the real business of government and society – the business of achieving a fuller and happier life for all of our citizens.”That is fundamentally what this enterprise is all about, what NATO is all about.&nbsp; It’s making sure that together we are creating an environment in which our people are safe, secure, and can meet their full potential.&nbsp; Today we have fortified this shield – fortified the shield against aggression.&nbsp; We brought more people under its protection so that together we can focus on the real work of delivering for our people.With that, Mr. Prime Minister, the floor is yours.&nbsp; (Applause.)PRIME MINISTER KRISTERSSON:&nbsp; Thank you so much Mr. Secretary, Antony.&nbsp; Thank you so much.&nbsp;Today is a truly historic day.&nbsp; Sweden is now member of NATO.&nbsp; We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming bipartisan congressional support for Sweden’s accession, and for the strong leadership from the U.S. administration leading the way on ratification and security assurances.&nbsp;I would personally like to thank both President Biden and you, Secretary Blinken, for your invaluable efforts and personal commitments during the accession process.&nbsp; I would also like to thank all NATO Allies, who have supported our accession and welcome Sweden as the 32nd member of the Alliance.&nbsp;We are humble, but we are also proud.&nbsp; We will live up to high expectations from all NATO Allies.&nbsp; United we stand.&nbsp; Unity and solidarity will be Sweden’s guiding light as a NATO member, where we share burdens, responsibilities, and risks with other Allies.Today is, as Secretary Blinken said, it’s a victory for freedom today.&nbsp; Sweden has made a free, democratic, sovereign, and united choice to join NATO.&nbsp; There is an overwhelming support in our parliament and among our people.&nbsp; That is a strength, both for Sweden and for the Alliance.&nbsp; And as a strong democracy, Sweden will stand for the values in the Washington Treaty, signed just a few blocks from here 75 years ago: freedom, democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.&nbsp;Sweden is, as was mentioned, now leaving 200 years of neutrality and military non-alignment behind.&nbsp; It is a major step – but at the same time, a very natural step.&nbsp; Membership means that we are coming home to the Alliance for peace, and coming home to the Alliance for freedom, to which many democracies already belong – also home to our neighbors’ security cooperation, home to the circle of countries where we, for generations, have belonged. &nbsp;We will defend freedom together with the countries closest to us, both in terms of geography, culture, and values.The security situation in our region has not been this serious since the Second World War.&nbsp; Russia will stay a serious threat to the Euro-Atlantic security for the foreseeable future.&nbsp; It was in this light that Sweden applied to join the NATO defense alliance – to gain security, but also to provide security.&nbsp; We have unique capabilities to contribute on land, in the air, at sea.&nbsp; Our support to Ukraine is a fundamental part of that.&nbsp; Ukraine is fighting bravely for its freedom, but they are also defending European freedom.At the same time, we are strengthening our defense and doubling the defense budget right now.&nbsp; From this year onwards, Sweden meets NATO’s standard of 2 percent of GDP to defense spendings.&nbsp; This is&nbsp;important for NATO security, obviously, and to burden sharing.&nbsp; We are increasing the numbers of conscripts, strengthening civil defense, and reintroducing civilian service in Sweden.&nbsp; We have been prepared for this task for quite a while, and I’m very pleased to take this very final step.Sweden is joining NATO is not the end of something.&nbsp; It’s a beginning of something new.&nbsp; I look forward to making the world safer and freer together with the United States and all other NATO Allies.&nbsp;And allow me, finally, a very short summary in Swedish.&nbsp; (In Swedish.)&nbsp; Thank you all so much.&nbsp; (Applause.)						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- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson																																		Readout																														March 7, 2024																																							The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström on the historic occasion of the deposit of Sweden’s NATO instrument of accession in Washington. Secretary Blinken offered warmest&nbsp;congratulations&nbsp;on Sweden’s completion of its final step to becoming the 32nd NATO Ally. The Secretary and Prime Minister Kristersson discussed how Sweden can immediately contribute to Alliance priorities and preparations for the NATO summit in Washington in July. They also discussed support for Ukraine and deepening defense and economic cooperation between the United States and Sweden.						Tags																													North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																								Sweden