Sweden is expanding its footprint in the United States with a new consulate general in Houston as its foreign minister highlights opportunities for stronger business partnerships with Texas while keeping support for Ukraine at the forefront of the country’s foreign policy.
Maria Malmer Stenergard, who has served as Sweden’s minister of foreign affairs since 2024, led a diplomatic and trade mission to Houston and Austin this week alongside Crown Princess Victoria for the inauguration of the kingdom’s fourth U.S. consulate.
She cited robust people-to-people connections and existing Swedish business presence in Texas as the foundation for future growth.
“Well, first of all, I’ve had such a warm welcome here to Texas, and I really appreciate the cooperation that Sweden and Texas already have, and there are such strong people-to-people ties that go way back. But we want to invest in the future, and that is the reason we open this consulate general now,” Malmer Sternergard said in an interview with Houston Public Media.
“And we believe that there is enormous potential for collaboration in areas such as space, life science, but several areas such as energy as well. So, we have 90 companies approximately already here from [the] Swedish side, and we create around 40,000 jobs, but I think we can do even more,” she added.
Sweden ranks as the world’s second-most-innovative country, she noted, and Texas serves as a major global innovation center, creating fertile ground for joint work in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.
Malmer Stenergard took part in a signing ceremony at Space Center Houston on Tuesday for the Pax Silica initiative, describing it as essential for securing supply chains among trusted partners in an uncertain world.
“Well, we are in a very shaky world. We need to collaborate with the ones that are likeminded, and we need to secure the supply chains for necessary technologies, such as the technologies needed for the development of AI. And therefore, I’m very grateful for the initiative that the U.S. has taken.
“The Pax Silica is a collaboration between companies that are to a large extent, likeminded, and I see great possibilities for us to secure these supply chains and make sure that we are more resilient in the future, less depending on partners that that we cannot trust,” she said.
The minister identified unwavering aid to Ukraine as Sweden’s foremost foreign-policy priority, warning that Russia will pose a lasting threat to Europe.
“Our foreign policy foremost priority is the support to Ukraine, and Russia poses a big threat to Sweden and to Europe for the foreseeable future. And how the war ends will affect the security [of Europe] for at least a generation to come. Therefore, we provide a huge support to Ukraine, but we also take initiatives constantly to put more pressure on Russia. So, this is my number one priority,” Stenergard said.
She added that her government is also focused on bolstering its own defenses and shifting security burdens within the NATO alliance, of which Sweden is the newest member.
On the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, the minister pointed to immediate economic ripples and rising threats.
“Well, we see a direct effect in oil prices, for instance, but also in increased insecurity. And we see increased threats towards some interests in Sweden, such as embassies, but also [the] Jewish community. This is extremely worrying.
“At the same time, we cannot allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, and we need to support the Iranian people so that they can, in the future, live in a democracy. So, this is a very difficult time for the world. I’m very worried about the developments and what effects this could have, also, in the long run,” she said.
As a net contributor to NATO with strategic geographic advantages, Sweden leads forward land forces in Finland and supports missions in Latvia and the Baltic region, Stenergard said. The partnership with the United States remains vital for both security and economic reasons, though recent comments on Greenland have created some tension.
Stenergard closed by stressing the broader stakes of backing Ukraine.
“I just want to emphasize how important it is to support Ukraine, because it’s not only about Ukraine. It is about Europe. I think it is about the principles that we want the world to live by — that is, it should not be rewarded if you, without any provocation, invade a friendly neighbor,” she said.
