Sweden

Finland, Sweden sign to join NATO but need ratification

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -NATO's 30 allies signed an accession protocol for Finland and Sweden on Tuesday, allowing them to join the nuclear-armed alliance once parliaments ratify the decision, the most significant…

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SAS and its pilots extend wage talks until Monday

STOCKHOLM, July 2 (Reuters) - Scandinavian airline SAS and its pilots have agreed to extend their wage talks until Monday in the hope of averting a strike, a company executive told reporters on Saturday.…

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NATO deal with Turkey greeted with caution and concern in Sweden

STOCKHOLM, June 29 (Reuters) - Sweden and Finland took a step closer to joining the NATO military alliance after Turkey's decision to drop its objections, but there may still be…

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Finland, Sweden will ‘eventually’ join NATO, says Spain’s PM

Sweden and Finland will eventually become part of NATO, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday alongside the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hours before a NATO summit was…

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Sweden’s Kurds fear they may pay price for NATO bid as Turkey fumes

STOCKHOLM, June 28 (Reuters) - Kurds in Sweden's large diaspora are worried they will become a pawn in the negotiations over Stockholm's ambition to join NATO if the West makes concessions to…

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Swedish economy to slow, tougher times ahead, government forecast says

STOCKHOLM, June 22 (Reuters) - Sweden's economy will grow more slowly than previously expected, hit by the effects of inflation and the war in Ukraine, the government said in a new forecast…

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Two people wounded in attack in Sweden, one arrested

Two people were wounded in an attack in the Swedish town of Vasteras on Tuesday, police said, adding that one person had been arrested. Police in a statement said a sharp object…

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NATO chief says Sweden has taken “important steps” to meet Turkey’s demands

Sweden has taken important steps to meet Turkey's demands for approving Stockholm's NATO membership application, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday during a visit to Sweden. Sweden and Finland applied to join the…

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Global nuclear arsenal to grow for first time since Cold War

STOCKHOLM, June 13 (Reuters) - The global nuclear arsenal is expected to grow in the coming years for the first time since the Cold War while the risk of such…

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New survey on sinking of M/S Estonia, in the Baltic Sea

The first rendering (composite image) of the stern of Estonia taken using a a ROV (remotely operated vehicle) being lowered from the vessel VOS SWEET to the Baltic Sea. The…

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Photo Story: Rare visit by Walrus in Skane, Sweden

People look at the walrus, named 'Sten' by the public, laying on his rock outside the village of Arild in the Skalderviken bay area in the southwest of Sweden. The…

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No signs of Russian threat to Sweden, Finland -NATO deputy chief

COPENHAGEN, June 10 (Reuters) - NATO's deputy chief sees no immediate military threat to Sweden and Finland from Russia and is confident that the aspiring NATO members will join the alliance despite Turkey's objections, he…

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Sweden to seek constructive progress with Turkey over NATO bid

STOCKHOLM, June 10 (Reuters) - Sweden will look to make constructive progress in talks with Turkey on Ankara's objections over the Nordic country's application to join the NATO defensive alliance,…

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Photo Story: USS Kearsarge arrives in Stockholm

US amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge arrives in central Stockholm, Sweden. Around 40 warships are expected to moor in Stockholm from 02 to 05 June ahead of the BALTOPS 22…

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Swedish PM threatens to resign if justice minister ousted in no-confidence vote

Sweden's prime minister threatened to step down just three months before a general election is due, if the centre-right opposition succeeds in winning a vote of no-confidence against the interior…

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Sweden’s ruling Social Democrats gain support ahead of September election

STOCKHOLM, June 2 (Reuters) - Support for Sweden's ruling Social Democrats has risen to a third of voters as the public seeks stability amid the war in Ukraine, an official poll showed…

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Swedish economy shrinks as pandemic and war pinch exports

STOCKHOLM, May 30 (Reuters) - Sweden's economy slowed sharply in the first quarter of the year, data from the Statistics Office showed on Monday, confirming that the lingering effects of the pandemic…

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No need seen to add U.S. ground forces in Sweden, Finland

Sweden and Finland’s push to join NATO won’t require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country, the U.S. general nominated to take over European Command told senators. But Army…

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Sweden gives go-ahead for offshore windpark to power 500,000 homes

Sweden's government this week announced that it had given state-owned utility Vattenfall a renewed and expanded license to build a windpark off the southern coast of Sweden which will produce…

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Turkey’s Erdogan to speak to Finland as NATO application row simmers

ISTANBUL, (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he will speak to Finland on Saturday, while maintaining his opposition to Finnish and Swedish NATO membership bids over their history of hosting members of groups…

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UPDATED: Turkeys Erdogan links Sweden NATO bid to return of “terrorists”

ANKARA, May 18 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday Sweden should not expect Turkey to approve its NATO bid without returning "terrorists", and Swedish and Finnish delegations should not come to…

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Erdogan says Swedish, Finnish delegations should not bother coming to Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Swedish and Finnish delegations should not bother coming to Ankara to convince it to approve their NATO bid. Sweden's government has formally…

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UPDATED: Putin warns Finland and Sweden any military expansion ‘would demand a reaction’

Vladimir Putin said Russia had no issue with Finland and Sweden, but that the expansion of military infrastructure on their territory would demand a reaction from Moscow, as the Nordic…

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Sweden to try to overcome Turkish objections to its NATO bid

STOCKHOLM, May 16 (Reuters) - Sweden will send diplomats to Turkey to try to overcome Ankara's objections to its plan to join NATO, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist said, with a…

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Sweden’s ruling party poised to back NATO bid

STOCKHOLM, May 15 (Reuters) - Sweden's ruling Social Democrats were poised on Sunday to come out in favour of the country joining NATO, paving the way for an application soon…

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UPDATED: Finnish president confirms his country will apply to join NATO

HELSINKI, May 15 (Reuters) - Finland's President Sauli Niinisto confirmed on Sunday that his country would apply for membership of the NATO military alliance. The announcement came after Niinisto and Prime Minister…

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Russian fighter jets take part in Baltic Sea drills as support grows for Finnish and Swedish NATO membership

Russian Su-27 fighter jets have taken part in drills to repel a mock air strike on Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Baltic Sea fleet.…

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Italy strongly backs Finland-Sweden bid to join NATO

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 13 - Italy strongly backs Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Friday. "We…

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Moscow will respond if NATO moves nuclear forces closer to Russia’s border – RIA

May 14 (Reuters) - Moscow will take adequate precautionary measures if NATO deploys nuclear forces and infrastructure closer to Russia's border, RIA news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko as saying…

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FACTBOX-A brief history of Finland’s and Sweden’s strained ties with Russia

HELSINKI/STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) - Finland and Sweden, who are expected to decide to apply to join NATO, have long had strained ties with their giant neighbour Russia. - Sweden's and Finland's difficult past with…

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Swedish inflation surges to new high in April

STOCKHOLM, May 12 (Reuters) - Swedish headline inflation surged higher in April as the lingering effects of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine pushed up prices across the board, figures published…

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A look at Finland and Sweden’s path to NATO membership

HELSINKI/STOCKHOLM, May 12 (Reuters) - Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden have been considering applying for membership of the NATO military alliance, which would mark a major policy shift for…

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Sweden plans to send NATO application next week

STOCKHOLM, May 12 (Reuters) - Sweden's government plans to submit an application to join NATO next week, following neighbour Finland in re-writing its post-World War Two security policy in the…

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Factbox: Probable steps in any Finnish, Swedish NATO bid

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is expected on Thursday to say whether his country should join the NATO alliance, with Sweden following suit with its decision in the coming days. Russia's…

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UK strikes new security agreement with Sweden and Finland

LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said he had agreed new deals with Sweden and Finland to bolster European security, pledging to support both countries' armed…

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NATO chief says alliance will increase presence in Baltic sea if Sweden applies

NATO will increase it's presence around Sweden's borders and in the Baltic sea while a potential application to join the alliance is processed, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told Swedish public…

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U.S. offers assurances to Sweden, Finland over NATO application

The United States is confident it can address any security concerns Sweden and Finland may have about the period of time after they apply for NATO membership and before they…

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Sweden says it received U.S. security assurances if it hands in NATO application

Sweden has received assurances from the United States that it would receive support during the period a potential application to join NATO is processed by the 30 nations in the…

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Russian spy plane violates Swedish air space

A Russian reconnaissance plane briefly violated Sweden’s airspace on Friday, Swedish defense officials said, as the Scandinavian country ponders a bid for NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“A Russian…

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Sweden to strengthen military infrastructure on Gotland

STOCKHOLM, April 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's government said on Friday it had put aside up to 1.6 billion Swedish crowns ($163 million) to strengthen its military infrastructure on the strategically important island of Gotland…

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Finland, Sweden could deepen military cooperation if situation worsens

Sweden and Finland could deepen military cooperation if security in the Baltic Sea region worsens, for example during the process of a possible application to join NATO, Finland's foreign minister…

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Swedish PM rejects referendum on possible NATO membership

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden’s government does not plan to hold a referendum if its parliament decides to proceed with an application for NATO membership, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on…

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Finland and Sweden could join NATO quickly, Stoltenberg says

Finland and Sweden will be able to join NATO quickly should they decide to ask for membership in the Western military alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday (April…

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Finland, Sweden to begin NATO application in May, say local media reports

Finland and Sweden will together express their wish to join NATO in May, tabloid newspapers Iltalehti in Finland and Expressen in Sweden reported, citing sources close to the matter. Despite…

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Opinion poll shows growing majority of Swedes back joining NATO

STOCKHOLM, April 20 (Reuters) - A growing majority of Swedes are in favour of joining NATO, a poll showed on Wednesday, as policy-makers in both Sweden and Finland weigh…

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Photo Story: Violent protest in Malmo, Sweden

Riot police on site while a city bus burns on Vastra Kattarpsvagen on Rosengard in Malmo, Sweden, 17 April 2022. The unrest in Malmo has continued after Rasmus Paludan, party…

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Swedish inflation highest since early 1990s in March

STOCKHOLM, April 14 (Reuters) - Headline inflation hit its highest level in more than three decades in March as the war in Ukraine pushed up food and fuel prices, data showed on…

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UPDATED: Finland says needs to prepare for changes on Russia border

HELSINKI, April 13 (Reuters) - Finland should prepare for possible changes on its Russia border, although the military situation there currently remains calm, Defence Minister Atti Kaikkonen said on Wednesday. Russia's invasion…

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Finland, Sweden set to join NATO as soon as summer – reports

Russia has made a "massive strategic blunder" as Finland and Sweden look poised to join NATO as early as the summer, the British press has reported on Monday, citing officials. London-based The Times said…

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Sweden Democrats leader wants party to change on NATO membership if Finland applies to join alliance

STOCKHOLM, April 9 (Reuters) - The leader of Sweden's second-biggest opposition party will, should neighbour Finland apply to join NATO, suggest that his party change its stance towards favouring a…

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Prospect of Finland, Sweden joining NATO discussed at NATO meeting -U.S. official

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) - The prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO was part of the discussion between foreign ministers from the military alliance in Brussels this week, a senior U.S. State Department…

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NATO chief says Finland, Sweden welcome to apply to join

NATO would quickly welcome Finland and Sweden into its ranks with open arms if they decided to apply, the military alliance’s top civilian official said Wednesday, as Russia’s war on…

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Neutral Sweden, Finland join NATO drills as countries consider membership

The sound of gunfire echoed around the Norwegian fjords as a row of Swedish and Finnish soldiers, positioned prone behind banks of snow, trained rifles and missile launchers on nearby…

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Europe’s arms imports jump amid tensions with Russia, says think-tank SIPRI

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Arms shipments to Europe jumped amid deteriorating relations with Russia in the five years through 2021, even as the global arms trade slowed, the Stockholm International Peace…

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Factbox: Sweden or Austria as military model for Ukraine neutrality

Ukraine could become a non-aligned or neutral state like Sweden or Austria, Russia said on Wednesday, as it seeks a compromise with Kyiv to end three weeks of war. Here…

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Swedish wind power generation to rise 70% by 2024 – agency

OSLO, March 14 (Reuters) - Wind power generation in Sweden is expected to increase by some 70% by 2024 compared with last year's level amid a boom in capacity additions, the Swedish…

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Sweden expects 76,000 Ukrainian refugees in coming months, Over 109,000 refugees registered in Germany so far

STOCKHOLM, March 11 (Reuters) - Sweden's main scenario is to receive 76,000 Ukrainian refugees in coming months in the wake of Russia's invasion, Sweden's Migration Agency said on Friday. The agency said…

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