Stubb's visit to Sweden to focus on defence and security, bilateral ties

President Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb, will pay a state visit to Sweden on April 23–24 at the invitation of King Carl XVI Gustaf, said the President Office in a press release on Wednesday.

The aim of the visit is to further intensify cooperation between Finland and Sweden in the current security policy context, both bilaterally and as members of NATO.

Promoting cooperation between Finnish and Swedish companies in order to strengthen the countries' global competitiveness and accelerate the green transition is also on the agenda.

The Royal Family will greet the President and his spouse with a ceremonial welcome in Stockholm in the morning of April 23.

After the welcoming ceremony, Stubb will visit Riksdagen, the Swedish Parliament, and meet the Speaker of the Parliament Andreas Norlén. After their discussions, the President will address the members of the Parliament.

After visiting the Riksdag, the presidential couple will attend a luncheon hosted by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at the Royal Palace.

In the afternoon, Stubb will hold official talks with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson.

They will discuss issues such as support for Ukraine and preparations for the NATO Summit in Washington.

At the end of the discussions, they will hold a joint press conference.

Stubb, Carl XVI Gustaf and Kristersson will then attend a business seminar organised by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, the Confederation of Finnish Industries and Business Sweden. Each of them will make a speech at the seminar. The seminar will focus on closer strategic partnerships between Finnish and Swedish businesses.

At the end of the day, Stubb and Innes-Stubb will attend a Gala Dinner hosted by the King and the Queen at the Royal Palace.

On April 24, the presidential couple's program will continue in Gothenburg together with the King and the Queen.

In the morning, Stubb will visit the University of Gothenburg, where he will give a speech and discuss with the students. The theme of the speech is the new world order and an era of disorder.

In the afternoon, Governor Sten Tolgfors of the Västra Götaland County will host a working lunch, after which the programme will continue with a visit to the Port of Gothenburg and on to the Älvsborg Marine Regiment for a demonstration of the Swedish navy's activities in littoral areas.

Later in the day, the President and his spouse will give a reception at the Gothenburg Art Museum, after which the state visit will end with a farewell ceremony.

During the state visit, the presidential couple will also meet representatives of Sweden-Finnish communities.

Suzanne Innes-Stubb, will have a separate programme in addition to the joint programme of the presidential couple.

She and Queen Silvia will visit the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace, the Sven-Harry's Art Museum and a local primary school.

President Stubb will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and Minister of Education Anna-Maja Henriksson.

This is President Stubb's first state visit. The last state visit to Sweden by the former President Sauli Niinistö, was in 2022.

The most recent visit to Finland by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia was in 2015.

They also visited Finland in 2017 together with other Nordic Heads of State to celebrate 100 years of Finnish independence.