Radio Sweden Weekly: Sweden's 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment

This podcast episode provides a comprehensive overview of Sweden's neutrality policy, its origins, evolution, and eventual abandonment in favor of NATO membership. The episode begins by tracing the policy's roots back to the Napoleonic Wars and examines its role in shaping Sweden's geopolitical position. It then discusses the challenges Sweden faced in maintaining neutrality during World War I and World War II, despite significant pressure from both sides. During the Cold War, Sweden adopted a unique approach to neutrality, maintaining a secret cooperation with Western powers while simultaneously pursuing an active foreign policy. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, neutrality became less important, and Sweden joined the EU and NATO, signaling a significant shift in its foreign policy stance.