COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) 鈥 Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstr枚m, who steered the Scandinavian country along a sometimes bumpy road to NATO membership and stood tall on supporting Ukraine, stunned the political establishment Wednesday by saying he was leaving the Swedish government next week.
鈥淚t has not been an easy decision but something that I have thought about and processed for some time,鈥 Billstr枚m wrote on X.
Billstr枚m became foreign minister in October 2022, when Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson formed a coalition government with his own conservative Moderate Party, the smaller Christian Democrats and the Liberals.
In May 2022, Sweden and neighboring Finland sought NATO membership, ending decades of and centuries of broader non-alignment with major powers as security concerns in Europe spiked following Russia鈥檚 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
After 18 months of delays, Sweden鈥檚 membership bid cleared the final hurdle in February .
also objected to Sweden joining the alliance, but on Jan. 23, Turkish legislators voted in favor. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put forth a series of conditions including a tougher stance from Stockholm toward groups that Turkey regards as threats to its security, such as Kurdish militants and members of a network it blames for a failed coup in 2016.
Sweden became the 32nd member of the military alliance The 50-year-old Billstr枚m said on X that he had taken Sweden through 鈥渁 sometimes challenging NATO process.鈥
On Facebook, Kristersson said that Billstr枚m had discharged his duties with 鈥渇lying colors.鈥
Billstr枚m said on X that he would 鈥渓eave politics completely. This means that I am also leaving my seat in the Riksdag,鈥 the Swedish parliament. The 349-member assembly will convene next week after the summer recess.
Billstr枚m has not announced what he鈥檒l do next and his replacement has not yet been named.
