Relationship dossier
Russia
Sweden
Relationship assessment
Russia–Sweden relations are strained by the war in Ukraine, sanctions and Baltic security tensions.
Russia toward Sweden
-60Russia has included Sweden among states it considers unfriendly and has used hostile rhetoric in response to Sweden’s support for Ukraine and NATO accession. Swedish officials have also protested Russian military aircraft entering Swedish airspace.
Sweden toward Russia
-55Sweden has implemented EU sanctions against Russia, provided substantial support to Ukraine, and expelled Russian diplomats following Russia’s invasion. These policies oppose Russian military action and have contributed to sharply strained relations.
Overall relationship
-60The relationship is shaped by Russia’s war against Ukraine and Sweden’s alignment with EU sanctions and support for Ukraine. Security tensions increased with Sweden’s NATO accession, while Russian military activity in the Baltic region has prompted Swedish protests. These sustained disagreements outweigh the more pragmatic character of earlier bilateral relations.
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
Relations are substantially adversarial, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sweden has backed Ukraine, implemented EU sanctions against Russia and expelled Russian diplomats. Russia has treated Sweden as an unfriendly state, and Swedish officials have protested Russian military activity affecting Swedish airspace. Sweden’s NATO accession in 2024 further sharpened security tensions.
Areas of tension
- Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Sweden’s support for Ukraine
- Swedish implementation of EU sanctions against Russia
- Sweden’s NATO accession and Russian opposition to NATO enlargement
- Russian military activity near or in Swedish airspace
- Diplomatic expulsions and allegations of intelligence activity
Key developments
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, prompting Sweden to adopt sanctions and expand support for Ukraine.
Sweden became a NATO member, a move opposed by Russia amid broader tensions over NATO enlargement.
Swedish officials protested after Russian military aircraft entered Swedish airspace.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and implementation of remaining bilateral diplomatic and consular arrangements are unclear.
- Details of alleged Russian intelligence and cyber activities affecting Sweden remain contested or not fully public.