Relationship dossier
Sweden
United States
Relationship assessment
A close security partnership strengthened by Sweden’s NATO membership and bilateral defense cooperation.
Sweden toward United States
+70Sweden has cooperated with the United States on security, including contributing forces to the international mission in Afghanistan. The Swedish government also concluded a Defence Cooperation Agreement that enables expanded U.S. military access and cooperation in Sweden.
United States toward Sweden
+70The United States has supported Sweden’s integration into NATO and concluded a Defence Cooperation Agreement with Sweden, providing a framework for expanded U.S. military access and bilateral defense cooperation.
Overall relationship
+70The relationship is anchored in a sustained security partnership, now reinforced by Sweden’s NATO membership and the bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement. Swedish participation in international operations and U.S. support for Sweden’s security integration add concrete substance to the partnership.
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
Sweden and the United States maintain a close security partnership, reinforced by Sweden’s NATO membership and the bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement. Sweden has contributed to U.S.-led international operations, including in Afghanistan, while the two governments cooperate on defense and security. Their relationship is substantially cooperative, though the scope and implementation of some newer defense arrangements remain developing.
Key developments
Sweden and the United States signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement establishing a framework for expanded bilateral defense cooperation and U.S. military access in Sweden.
Sweden became a member of NATO, placing Sweden and the United States within the same collective-defense alliance.
Major uncertainties
- The practical scope and implementation of the Defence Cooperation Agreement are still developing.
- The scale and duration of future Swedish contributions to U.S.-led security operations are uncertain.