Sweden’s national security – for a safer and more secure Sweden in uncertain times

“When the Government took office almost two years ago, it was with a clear mandate to tackle Sweden’s internal and external security. When our freedom and openness are threatened by hostile powers – within and beyond our national borders – no task is more important,” says Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

This new national security strategy is an important contribution to the Government’s efforts to make Sweden safer and more secure, as well as more competitive and resilient. 

Safeguarding Sweden’s national security is the Government’s most important task and top priority. Based on Sweden’s security interests, strengths and assets, and the international situation, the strategy sets out the Government’s intentions and priorities.

The current complex range of threats against Sweden and Swedish interests requires broad and long-term engagement from all relevant actors in society. Through clear priorities and guiding principles in the strategy, the Government is providing direction on what needs to be done to strengthen Sweden’s prospects and capabilities of addressing both known and unpredictable threats. The strategy also describes the focus on Swedish security interests when making difficult trade-offs. 

The five guiding principles in the strategy are:

• urgency and pragmatism;
• capacity to act and make decisions
• robustness and adaptability;
• involvement of the whole of society;
• international cooperation.