STOCKHOLM: Sweden will phase out development aid to five countries in coming years and use the money to increase support for Ukraine, the government said on Friday.
The Nordic country plans to phase out aid to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia and Bolivia, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa said.
“Ukraine is Sweden’s most important foreign policy and aid policy priority and therefore the government is going to increase aid to Ukraine to at least 10 billion crowns ($1.06 billion) in 2026,” Dousa said. “There isn’t a secret printing press for banknotes for aid purposes and the money has to come from somewhere.”
The government said the measures would free up more than 2 billion crowns over the next two years that could be diverted to Ukraine, to be used in such projects as rebuilding the country’s energy infrastructure.
Sweden has already cut aid to more than 10 countries since the current government took power in 2022, including Burkina Faso and Mali.
Sweden is a major donor of and humanitarian aid, with a budget of 56 billion crowns a year over the last three years.
The government has said it will cut that to 53 billion crowns a year for the period 2026-2028 and has reprioritized spending, including using some of the money to pay for the costs of immigration and repatriation of migrants.
Sweden to cut development aid to five countries, divert money to Ukraine
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Sweden to cut development aid to five countries, divert money to Ukraine
- “The government is going to increase aid to Ukraine to at least $1.06 billion in 2026,” Dousa said
- Sweden has already cut aid to more than 10 countries since the current government took power
Russia will examine Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ invite: Putin
- Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders with a request for $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Russia would study US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace.”
“The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners,” Putin said during a televised government meeting. “It is only after that we’ll be able to reply to the invitation.”
He said that Russia could pay the billion dollars being asked for permanent membership “from the Russian assets frozen under the previous American administration.”
He added that the assets could also be used “to reconstruct the territories damaged by the hostilities, after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.”
Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders with a request for $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board.
Although originally meant to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not seem to limit its role to the Palestinian coastal enclave and appears to want to rival the United Nations, drawing the ire of some US allies including France.
