Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Sweden “impossible” to postpone despite the context, assures the president’s entourage

Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day state visit to Sweden on Tuesday January 30. On the program, state dinner and welcome by the royal family, but also cooperation agreements between the two countries. However, the news in France is intense to say the least: anger of farmers – who continue to block certain routes around major cities and in particular Paris -, the discontent of taxis who have organized snail operations throughout France, and finally the speech of general policy of the new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal…

So, a simple question can arise: should this trip by the Head of State to Sweden be maintained? At the top of the State, the question was not really raised. “Postpone this state visit? Impossible”, says a diplomatic source. Certainly, the image of the presidential couple received with pomp and honors at the royal palace in Stockholm may seem out of place, but this state visit to Sweden has already been postponed for the first time.

Nuclear cooperation and defense capabilities

Just like the presidential trip to Germany, postponed because of urban riots last summer. “A new cancellation would send a message of instability, it would harm France’s credibility”, estimates someone close to Emmanuel Macron. Especially, underlines the Elysée, that this trip to Sweden is not limited to protocol aspects. Nuclear cooperation and strengthening of defense capabilities are also on the menu.

Since the war in Ukraine, Sweden has broken with its traditional neutrality. She shows her support for Ukraine and is preparing to join NATO. The opportunity for Emmanuel Macron to push his project“European strategic autonomy”which he will defend on Tuesday afternoon, during a speech to the Swedish Military Academy.