“The government is seeking deepening cooperation with Russia on the issues interesting for Sweden, including trade, environment, climate and healthcare. There is also a strong interest in developing human contacts, especially between civil societies”, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
The leaders held a meeting on Tuesday on the sidelines of the International Arctic Forum in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.
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After the events in Ukraine and the reunification of Crimea with Russia in 2014, Sweden has stuck to the position adopted by the European Union and has strongly supported sanctions against Russia. The two countries’ ministries and departments suspended all contacts at the initiative of the Swedish side.
In 2017, the volume of accumulated Russian investments in Sweden amounted to $225 million, while Sweden invested in Russia $3.8 billion. Around 350 Swedish companies, including Volvo, Scania, and Ericsson, have representative offices and branches in Russia.
In turn, the Swedish Kubal, the only producer of primary aluminum in the country and one of the country’s largest industrial enterprises, is one of the examples of Russian investments.
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The Arctic Council comprises a total of eight member states: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency is one of the general media partners of the event
