Displaying items by tag: Sweden

The Swedish government has announced a $1.23bn military aid package to Ukraine, including air defence systems, artillery ammunition, armoured vehicles, and two Swedish-made early-warning planes. This aid is crucial as Ukraine faces delays in receiving Western military assistance during Russia's third year of invasion. EU defence ministers have met in Brussels to bolster military support for Ukraine; a number of countries have pledged extra aid, including 30 F-16 fighter jets from Belgium and air defence missiles from Spain. However, approximately 6.5 billion euros ($7bn) in EU military aid remains blocked by Hungary, regarded as Russia’s staunchest ally in Europe. Meanwhile, US secretary of state Antony Blinken is visiting NATO allies in Europe to reinforce support for Ukraine, starting with a visit to Moldova on 29 May.

Civil defence minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin and commander-in-chief Gen Micael Byden have issued warnings to prepare for the possibility of war in Sweden, raising concerns and accusations of alarmism. Byden urged all Swedes to prepare mentally for such a scenario. Their remarks have sparked debate, with some opposition politicians and organisations expressing objections to the tone of the warnings, while others see it as a necessary wake-up call. Sweden, having enjoyed over two centuries of peace, is close to NATO membership, pending approval from Turkey and Hungary. Gen Byden's comments come in the context of Sweden's involvement in training Ukrainian pilots and considering sending advanced fighter jets to Ukraine. Despite the stark messaging, both officials emphasise the importance of raising awareness and preparedness rather than causing undue panic. They call on local authorities, emergency planners, and individuals to take action.

A ‘truth and reconciliation’ commission has recommended an official apology and reparations for historic injustices against the Tornedalian minority. The commission found that assimilation policies in the 19th and 20th centuries damaged them, affecting their language, culture, and traditional industries. Tornedalians, originally from the Torne River valley near the Finnish border, are descendants of Finns who settled in the area in the 1800s. They speak Meänkieli, a language closely related to Finnish. In the 1880s, Sweden enforced a policy of 'Swedishisation', including banning their language and traditional clothing in schools and sending thousands of children to boarding schools to enforce Swedish language use. Today’s Tornedalian population is about 50,000; they rely on agriculture, hunting, fishing, and reindeer herding, Although they were recognised as a national minority in 2000, with Meänkieli as an official language, the commission suggests further measures to strengthen their language and culture, including its inclusion in public broadcasting and education. This report coincides with another ongoing investigation into policies against the indigenous Sámi people: see

Swedish police approved of burning a Bible outside Stockholm’s Israeli embassy. The decision follows similar Quran burnings which sparked outrage in the Islamic world. The demonstration was scheduled for Shabbat, when Israel's embassy is closed. A recent Swedish poll found most citizens support banning public burning of religious texts. Israel’s chief rabbi asked King Gustaf to utilise his influence so that the Bible burning does not take place, sending the message that Sweden stands against religious intolerance.  Meanwhile on 20 July another Quran was desecrated in Sweden; the Iraqi government informed the Swedish government through diplomatic channels that any recurrence of burning of the Holy Quran on Swedish soil would necessitate severing diplomatic relations. See also world article 6, and

On 20 July Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador only hours after protesters angered by the burning of the Quran in Sweden stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad, scaling the walls of the compound and setting it on fire. Iraq’s prime minister also recalled his country’s chargé d’affaires in Sweden and suspended the working permit of Swedish telecom company Ericsson on Iraqi soil. The burning of the embassy was called by supporters of the influential Iraqi Shia religious and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr, to protest against the second planned burning of a Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm that day. However, although protesters in Sweden kicked and partially damaged the Quran, they did not burn it as promised. In Baghdad, all the Swedish embassy staff are safe. Sweden’s foreign ministry condemned the attack and highlighted the need for Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions. See also Europe article 2, ‘Sweden: religious intolerance’.

Since 2000 there have been 300 churches planted across Sweden by other nations. The Nigerian Redeemed Christian Church of God has 40 Swedish church plants. Their vision is to plant worshipping communities within five minutes' distance from each other. Also from Nigeria there are church plants from Deeper Life Bible, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. There are plants from Ghanaian Church of Pentecost where the worship language is English, Ghanaian Swahili and Swedish. Chile’s International Mission Church gathers 1,500 people for Sunday services in Stockholm. For Sweden, this is a very big church. There are also congregations with Ethiopian, Eritrean, Iranian, or Afghan connections that are generally closer to the established Swedish denominations.

A Swedish perpetrator involved in the online sexual exploitation of children has been found guilty. With the evidence collected and a videotaped interview with the survivor, IJM’s Philippines team successfully persuaded the Swedish court to find the accused guilty. The perpetrator was ordered to compensate the victim £20,000 and is likely to appeal. Please pray the conviction is upheld. Praise God that two young boys were brought to safety after escaping from bonded labour at a duck farm. They had been enduring increasing violence and managed to run away. People in the village brought them to local authorities, who took care of them and confronted the farm owner. Praise God for the compassion and proactivity of this community. Pray for the owner to be arrested and that the boys can receive the aftercare they need.

Danish authorities, struggling to quell a wave of bombings attributed to Swedish gangs, have introduced passport controls at the border with Sweden for the first time since the 1950s. Sweden has been rocked by more than 100 explosions in the first 10 months of this year, and another 13 blasts have rocked Copenhagen as well. The Swedish problem is directly correlated to their open arms policy for immigrants and refugees, especially those fleeing North Africa and the Middle East. Many consider the rise of the nationalist right in Europe is a direct result of politicians’ immigration policies. Pray against what many believe is the coming wave of a possible violent backlash.

Over 4,000 Swedish people have futuristic microchips implanted into their skin to replace credit cards and cash, as Sweden moves toward a cashless society. Only 1% of their economy is notes and coins. At the same time there’s been a dramatic decrease in crime - with only two bank robberies last year compared to 110 in 2008. The chips are inserted into their hands and pioneers predict millions will soon join them as they hope to take it global. The chips, the size of a grain of rice, can monitor their health and even replace key-cards to allow them to enter offices and buildings. The microchips were pioneered by a former body piercer who has hopeful international investors. He said the technology is safe but many fear cybercrime, integration with other systems and illegal data sharing. Users say they’re happy to give up privacy for convenience.

Peace talks between all sides in Yemen’s conflict could resume soon in Sweden. The date could still slip, but the aspiration is for Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government to meet early in December. They would be supported by a Saudi-backed coalition. Pray for every person needed for these initial talks to make an appearance in Sweden. A demand for 50 wounded Houthi fighters to be transported to Muscat for treatment must be met before Houthi leaders will attend the talks: this should happen soon. Pray for Britain, the US, and other allies to have clear positive conversations with Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, head of the rebels. Pray for a spirit of mutual trust to be developed. and for communication links to be strengthened. Pray for an increased distribution of UN aid, and for the desperate humanitarian crisis to end.