Diplomatic relations

In the years 1918-1920 the Ukrainian diplomatic mission headed initially by Borys Bazhenov and then Konstyantyn Losky functioned in Stockholm.

December 19th, 1991 Sweden became the first Nordic country to recognize the independence of Ukraine. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established January 13th, 1992. In September 1992 the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Ukraine was opened in Kyiv.

May 31st, 1994 the Diplomatic Mission of Ukraine headed by non-resident Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Finland started to work in Stockholm. February 11th, 1999 the first Ambassador of Ukraine — resident in Stockholm Olexander Slipchenko presented credentials to the King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. From April 2003 till July 2004 Leonid Kozhara was the Ambassador of Ukraine to Sweden, from February 2007 till May 2008 – Dr Anatoliy Ponomarenko, from September 2008 till December 2011 — Yevgen Perebyinis, since January 2012 - Dr.Valerii Stepanov, since May 2015 -  Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Sweden is Ihor Sagach.

Political relations

Political relations between Ukraine and Sweden are characterized by similar approaches to current international issues. Ukraine for a long time has been one of Sweden's foreign policy priorities in Eastern Europe. Significant attention is paid to implementation of Eastern Partnership initiated jointly by Sweden and Poland. It is seen as part of the process of European integration of Ukraine. In the framework of this initiative Sweden has put forward a large-scale project — Partnership for Energy Efficiency and Environment in Eastern Europe/Ukraine (E5P).

Sweden provides general political support for the Ukrainian side in the visa-free dialogue with the EU as well as technical assistance in accordance with the Strategy of the Government of Sweden concerning cooperation with Ukraine for Development for 2009-2013. The Strategy has two priority areas of bilateral cooperation: democratization of society and human rights as well as energy efficiency and environmental protection.

Exchange of high-level visits

23-25.03.1999 — state visit of President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma to Sweden;
23-24.01.2006 — official visit of Prime Minister of Sweden Göran Persson to Ukraine;
29.09.-03.10.2008 — state visit of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia to Ukraine;
20-21.11.2008 — official visit of Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko to Sweden;
28-29.05.2009 — official visit of Speaker of Riksdag of Sweden Per Westerberg to Ukraine;
04.12.2009 — visit to Ukraine of Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt in the framework of the EU-Ukraine Summit;
8-9.04.2010 — working visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt to Ukraine;
1-3.10.2010 — working visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt to Ukraine;
17.11.2010 — joint working visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt and Minister for Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski to Ukraine;
06.12.2010 — working visit of Minister for Foreign affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko to Sweden.
16-17.09.2011 — working visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt to Ukraine.

Inter-parliamentary cooperation has been developing successfully. February 21st, 2007 the Ukraine Friendship Association was created in Riksdag of Sweden which is now chaired by MP Kerstin Engle.

January 24th, 2008 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine formed a group of MPs on inter-parliamentary relations with the Kingdom of Sweden headed by MP Leonid Kozhara.