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The Old Country Newsletter – Would the U.S. Come to Sweden's Aid?
Your Weekly Newsletter from Sweden!
Philip Hannes
March 21, 2025
Good morning!
It’s Friday, March 21.
How often do you think about the Roman Empire?
Since we last caught up, the Ides of March (Idus Martiae) has passed. March 15 has long been a symbol of misfortune and doom—ever since the Roman dictator Julius Caesar met his infamous fate on that day.
Sweden’s equivalent of March 15? Maybe November 8–10, when the Stockholm Bloodbath (Stockholms Blodbad) took place in 1520. Or perhaps March 31, when in 1979 Ted Gärdestad was robbed of a Eurovision victory with Satellit (or Blue Virgin Isles, as the English version is called).
Have a wonderful weekend!
Philip & Hannes
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Your Weekly Swede-ish
Attribution: Wikimedia Commons
Did you know that Montana’s former senior U.S. senator, Jon Tester, has Swedish ancestry? His mother’s family immigrated from Sweden, although Tester wasn’t born until 1956. The former democratic senator grew up on a farm near Big Sandy, where he still butchers his own meat and runs the land his grandparents homesteaded. Before politics, he worked as a music teacher and served in the Montana Senate. Known for his trademark flattop haircut and no-nonsense style, Tester was one of the few farmers in Congress.
Statistics you didn’t ask for
Sweden is home to nearly 100,000 lakes, covering a significant portion of the country's total land area. Approximately 9% of Sweden's surface consists of lakes, making it one of the most water-rich nations in the world. In comparison, lakes in the United States cover only about 2.7% of the country’s land area.
The largest lake in Sweden, Lake Vänern, spans 5,650 km² (2,180 mi²), making it the third-largest lake in Europe. Together with Lake Vättern and Lake Mälaren, these bodies of water play a crucial role in Sweden’s ecosystem, economy, and recreational activities.
The abundance of lakes is a result of glacial activity during the last Ice Age, which shaped Sweden’s landscape. Today, these lakes provide fresh water, support biodiversity, and offer stunning natural scenery, reinforcing Sweden’s reputation as a paradise for nature lovers.
Swedes Are Losing Faith in U.S. Commitment to NATO
Attribution: Wikimedia Commons
A new survey reveals that 70% of Swedes doubt the U.S. would defend a NATO ally if attacked in the next two years. Following Donald Trump's repeated statements questioning America's commitment to the alliance, skepticism is particularly high among women and opposition party voters.
If you’ve been following The Old Country’s coverage, you know that trust in the U.S. as a NATO ally has been a hot topic for months. Now, a new survey from Verian shows just how deep the skepticism runs. A staggering 70% of Swedes say they have little or no confidence that the U.S. would defend a NATO member if attacked in the next two years.
The concerns aren’t coming out of nowhere. Donald Trump’s repeated remarks about NATO, including his recent claim that the U.S. wouldn’t protect countries that don’t boost their defense spending, have fueled doubts across Europe. In Sweden, those doubts appear to be widespread. Only 3% of respondents said they have strong confidence in U.S. support under NATO’s Article 5, the alliance’s mutual defense clause. Women and opposition party voters are the most skeptical, with nearly 80% in each group expressing low trust. Even among voters backing Sweden’s ruling coalition, 59% share the same concerns.
“This is remarkable,” said Per Söderpalm, head of public opinion research at Verian. “It suggests that confidence in NATO’s collective defense—at least in terms of U.S. commitment—is weak.”
The survey, commissioned by SVT, polled just over 1,000 Swedes between March 7 and 10. While Sweden only recently joined NATO, it seems many are already questioning how much that membership is really worth.
In other news
🏊🏼 Employees at a swimming facility in Karlskoga unknowingly worked an average of 28 extra days per year due to a scheduling error. After the mistake was discovered, the schedule was corrected, and seven employees, along with the union, will receive a total of 378,000 SEK in damages from the municipality.
🌏 Russia currently lacks the capability to launch a large-scale attack on Sweden due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to Thomas Nilsson, head of Sweden's military intelligence service (Must). However, the threat could increase after the war, with Russia potentially regaining readiness for a regional conflict within two years and a large-scale war within five years.
🪴 The ivy that had been sitting above the fireplace in the Oval Office since at least the 1970s has been removed and replaced with six gold figurines after Donald Trump’s return to the White House, according to The Washington Post. While Bill Clinton claimed the ivy was an Irish gift, experts believe it was actually Swedish, possibly given to President Kennedy by Sweden’s ambassador.
Would you like to feel closer to Sweden? A perfect way to do that would be to have a look at Swedish broadcasts, either current or past. SVT Play is an online streaming service provided by Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish national public television broadcaster.
To watch it, one has to be in Sweden – or have access to a VPN provider that can connect to a remote server located in Sweden. Like NordVPN, which sponsors this segment of the newsletter.
By using NordVPN, you can access what SVT Play has to offer – including current news, documentaries about emigrants, live broadcasts from nature events, and much more – by simply connecting to a server in Sweden. Follow the link here to get 74 % off for your first two years and three months (!) of usage. By doing so, you also help support the distribution of this newsletter.
Sweden Tightens Citizenship Rules Amid Security Concerns
Attribution: Wikimedia Commons
Sweden is making it harder to become a citizen, introducing stricter identity checks and background screenings to prevent potential security threats from gaining citizenship.
If you're hoping to become a Swedish citizen, be prepared for a few extra hurdles. The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) is tightening its procedures to ensure that those applying for citizenship don’t pose a security risk.
Under the new rules, applicants will need to appear in person at the agency to verify their identity—no more mailing in documents and hoping for the best. On top of that, all applicants will be required to disclose more personal details, including past employment, travel history, and country of origin. The goal? To catch potential threats before citizenship is granted, since Swedish citizenship is permanent and cannot be revoked.
“We must ensure that people who pose a threat to Sweden cannot obtain citizenship,” said Oskar Ekblad, who led the reform effort at Migrationsverket. The stricter measures come in response to a government directive issued in January. Alongside tougher ID checks, the agency plans to increase in-person interviews in the future.
The changes follow a sharp rise in citizenship applications flagged for security concerns. In 2023, Sweden’s security police (Säpo) raised red flags in 756 cases, up from around 100–180 per year in previous years. While Migrationsverket couldn’t predict how many additional threats the new measures would uncover, Ekblad stressed that the agency must adapt to the evolving security landscape.
Despite the crackdown, individuals deemed security risks may still be allowed to stay in Sweden if they hold residence permits—especially if deportation would put them at risk of torture or execution. In 2024, Sweden granted citizenship to over 65,000 people, but future applicants can expect a much tougher vetting process.
Word of the week
KÄMPARANDA [SHEM-par-AHN-dah]
Legacy Lanterns – shedding light on the stories of the past
Andreas Bloch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sweden's Last War
Even in an era of military buildup and global political instability, Sweden has enjoyed over 200 years of peace within its borders. No living Swede today has ever heard firsthand accounts of a war that Sweden actively took part in from an elder relative. Yet, history teaches us that peace and freedom should never be taken for granted. As humanity often fails to learn from its past, it is crucial to look back to understand where we are headed. In today’s newsletter, we revisit Sweden’s last war, fought more than two centuries ago against our neighbors to the west, Norway.
At dawn on August 3, 1814, after a week of war, Swedish forces launched a decisive attack on the Norwegian fortress of Fredrikstad. The Swedish-Norwegian war had broken out after Sweden, under the leadership of Crown Prince Karl Johan, sought to enforce the union between Sweden and Norway, which had been decided upon in the Treaty of Kiel in January of that year. The Norwegians, who had declared independence and adopted a new constitution on May 17, 1814, opposed this union and fought to defend their newfound sovereignty.
To secure a swift victory and minimize bloodshed, Karl Johan decided to launch a strategic offensive. Supported by gunboats, approximately 4,000 Swedish soldiers were landed on Kråkerøy, an island located just south of Fredrikstad. At the same time, an additional 1,100 Swedish troops landed further south on the island to encircle and isolate the Norwegian garrison. The Swedes advanced rapidly, taking control of the island, where they also seized a Norwegian battery and converted it into a Swedish position capable of directly bombarding the fortress.
Fredrikstad Fortress, a key part of the Norwegian defense, was already under significant pressure at this point. Faced with Swedish bombardment and strategic isolation, the Norwegian commander realized that further resistance was futile. After intense negotiations, the Fredrikstad garrison capitulated on August 4, marking a decisive Swedish success in the war.
Oscar Wergeland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This victory became a turning point in the conflict. The combination of Swedish military superiority and Karl Johan’s diplomatic skills made it clear that Norway would struggle to resist the Swedish offensive for much longer. Shortly after the fall of Fredrikstad, negotiations began between Norwegian and Swedish leaders, leading to the Convention of Moss on August 14, 1814. Through this agreement, Norway accepted a personal union with Sweden, allowing the country to retain much of its internal autonomy while recognizing the Swedish king as its sovereign.
The Swedish-Norwegian union lasted until 1905 when Norway gained independence from Sweden. In hindsight, we learn once again that the war was unnecessary and that hundreds of young men were lost in a zero-sum game.