Relationship dossier
Germany
Sweden
Relationship assessment
Close cooperation on defence and European security
Germany toward Sweden
+45Germany has pursued bilateral defence cooperation with Sweden and led the European Sky Shield Initiative, which Sweden joined. These actions reflect practical cooperation on European security.
Sweden toward Germany
+45Sweden has pursued bilateral defence cooperation with Germany and joined Germany’s European Sky Shield Initiative, contributing to shared European security efforts.
Overall relationship
+45The relationship combines bilateral defence cooperation with sustained coordination through European institutions and security initiatives. The defence framework and participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative provide concrete foundations for cooperation, while the relationship remains part of a broader European partnership rather than an exceptional bilateral alignment.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Germany and Sweden maintain a close, practical relationship, including bilateral defence cooperation and coordination on European security. Both participate in the EU and NATO, and Sweden joined Germany’s European Sky Shield Initiative. Their cooperation is substantial, though the relationship is not distinctive enough to characterize as an exceptional partnership.
Key developments
Germany and Sweden concluded an arrangement to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
Sweden joined the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral defence cooperation arrangements are unclear.
- The extent of ongoing joint activity through the European Sky Shield Initiative is uncertain.