After Russia’s large-scale invasion to Ukraine, Sweden changed its policy of neutrality, which the country had maintained for about 200 years, and decided to provide military aid to Ukraine and to join NATO. Sweden is now actively providing military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and helping Ukrainians who have been forced to leave their homes during the war. The Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Bilström stated that Sweden is ready to continue supporting Ukraine in the war, while Russia must be defeated for the war to be ended and for peace and stability to reign in Europe.
This year, during the visit of the Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson to our country, Ukraine and the Kingdom of Sweden signed a joint statement on defense cooperation, sectoral cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, energy efficiency, financial support for Ukraine.
One important element of aid is donations by Swedish citizens and organizations to the charitable accounts of international humanitarian funds, in particular the UNITED24 platform, initiated by the president of Ukraine, for the needs of internally displaced persons. Swedish businesses and citizens often do their good deeds with little publicity. But we saw many campaigns organized in Sweden, some of them collected up to €7 million per event. This money was directed to the needs of Ukrainians, for internally displaced people and for children protection.
Another aspect of assistance is the Swedish government’s work to accommodate internally displaced people from Ukraine. According to the latest data of the migration service of Sweden, more than 38 thousand people came from Ukraine, including about 13 thousand children. To date, the Swedish government has allocated about €1 billion for the accommodation and adaptation of Ukrainian refugees, and this figure is adjusted during the budget year.
Celebration of the 31st anniversary of Independence of Ukraine was held in Stockholm. The celebration was organized by the Embassy of our state in cooperation with the Ukrainian organizations Nordic Ukraine Forum STFU Tacticats and Kulturforum STHLM – För barn och unga på flykt and with support of Stockholms stad. The program of the event consisted of several blocks: an official part with the presentation of gratitude on behalf of the Embassy to Swedish state institutions, Swedish companies, as well as Swedish and Ukrainian volunteers; #IndependanceInMyHeart procession through the city center; concert of Ukrainian and Swedish performers; memorial ceremony for the people who died in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra, winner of the Eurovision in May with the song “Stefania” had a performance in the Swedish capital of Stockholm on August 6. The concert was held as part of the Stockholm Pride festival and gathered not only applause, but also money to support Ukraine. On the main stage of Stockholm Pride during the performance Kalush Orchestra informed about fundraising to buy an ambulance for Ukraine, and after the concert in Stockholm for this purpose held a charity auction with the Ukrainian group.
With the support of Stockholm City Hall and Beredskapslyftet held the opening of the Ukrainian Cultural Center, which will be held in the Swedish capital during the year. The center will become an important platform for the organization of cultural events for Ukrainians, as well as the promotion of Ukrainian culture in Sweden.
Representatives of Swedish Rescuers, a charitable organization of Swedish rescuers, handed over special equipment to the sappers of the Interregional Center for Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. In particular, Ukrainian sappers received MagDroneR4 magnetometer complexes for DL Matrice 300 RTK quadcopters, as well as a fire truck and two reanimobiles.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Tobias Billström brought to Ukraine the largest package of defense and financial aid in the history of bilateral relations – ground-based air defense systems, ammunition, vehicles, various winter equipment and uniforms, battleships and €270 million.
Sweden’s weapons deliveries to Ukraine included both simple equipment, such as helmets and body armor, as well as rocket-propelled grenades and missiles. Sweden also transferred armor-piercing shells, demining equipment, anti-tank weapons, machine guns, a 17-mm robotic naval gun, body armor and field trenches.
Sweden takes part in the training of the Ukrainian military in Great Britain, and the government is considering continuing this mission after the end of the year, as well as joining the EU training mission.
Sweden also has to send more than €66 million in humanitarian aid. The government said this support is intended to help the Ukrainian people get through the winter, as Russia continues to hit key infrastructure, leaving large Ukrainian cities without electricity.
Sweden is an important investment and trade partner of Dnipropetrovsk region. There are 9 companies with Swedish investments on the territory of Dnipropetrovsk region, which invested $0,6 million in the economy of the region.
According to the results of 2021, the volume of export of goods from Dnipropetrovsk region decreased by 44% ($5.46 million), which amounted to 5.1% of Ukraine’s volume to Sweden. Among the goods that are in the greatest demand of Swedish consumers are ferrous metals and products made of them, furniture, parts of railway locomotives, etc.
Export operations were carried out by 31 companies from Dnipropetrovsk region.
The main exporting companies are enterprises of metallurgical complex, agro-industrial complex and processing industry.
TOP-5 exporting companies (ranking by volume of export products):
Imports of goods from Sweden to Dnipropetrovsk region amounted to $43.86 million (6% of Ukraine’s imports from Sweden) and increased by 31% compared to 2020. Dnipropetrovsk region bought more medicines, machinery and equipment, paper, cardboard, ferrous metals and other.
Import operations were carried out by 119 importer enterprises.
TOP-5 importing enterprises (ranking by the volume of imported products):
