Sweden takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council from January to June
LONDON
Sweden takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council from the Czech Republic on 1 January.
Sweden, which will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union until July 1, has identified which issues it will prioritize during its mandate.
According to documents drawn up by the Swedish presidency, security, competitiveness, environment and energy transition, democratic values and the rule of law are the main topics.
“Sweden is taking over the presidency at a time when the European Union is facing unprecedented challenges. A greener, safer and freer Europe is the basis for our priorities,” says Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
The country will prioritize continued military and financial support to Ukraine and believes that Ukraine’s EU accession process should also be supported and further steps taken to rebuild the country.
In foreign policy, Sweden will prioritize Russia.
Stockholm is also keen to intensify contacts with the countries concerned.
Referring to the importance of the security situation in the Balkans, it stated that stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean is in the EU’s strategic interest.
Sweden also believes that cooperation and mutually beneficial relations with Turkey are important for the EU’s strategic interests.
The Swedish government, which advocates that the transatlantic ties with the United States should be kept strong, will also try to direct its economic policy towards the environment in which the protectionist economic decisions of the American administration may negatively affect the European countries.