‪Obama's Visit to Sweden: Crispbread Instead of Caviar

‪Originally, President Obama had plans to visit President Putin in Moscow this Wednesday, but then called them off because of the tensions between the two superpowers. ‪Instead, Obama is now traveling to Stockholm. ‪He wants to treat a loyal ally, and himself.

‪For international politics, U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to Stockholm could be seen as a side note in the shadow of the possible intervention of the West in the war in Syria. Wednesday’s visit is nevertheless a special occasion for Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. The conservative foreign policy politician hasn’t become fatigued by interviews in recent days, or by Twitter, through which he emphasized the “historical significance” of the visit, which will barely last 24 hours.

‪Never before has an American president attended bilateral talks in the country. ‪ The honor fell at first glance rather randomly in Sweden’s lap; Obama had actually planned to visit President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, but then canceled plans because of the tensions between the two superpowers. The catalyst was the Russian asylum granted in August to the National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden. ‪So now crispbread instead of caviar – a sheepish visit?

‪Since the Fall of the Wall, Relations Have Been Good

‪The fact is that Sweden’s relationship with the United States has changed significantly. ‪During the Cold War the country maneuvered under the brand name of neutrality between the blocs. ‪Under Olof Palme, the relationship was so strained that conspiracy theorists still whisper that the CIA murdered the Social Democratic prime minister.

‪Nevertheless, relations have been good since the fall of the wall. ‪Although not a NATO member, Sweden is a loyal ally who fought on the side of the Americans in Afghanistan as well as in Libya. ‪And no one else embodies the new pro-American trends in Sweden’s foreign policy as adamantly as Bildt. ‪He doesn’t take kindly to hearing that the Obama visit is considered a mere coincidence. ‪In his view, Sept. 4th, 2013 is the crowning achievement of years of diplomatic work.

‪Per Jönsson, who specializes in American relations at the Foreign Policy Institute in Stockholm, thinks likewise that the president’s visit is a long overdue reward. “It just seemed to fit as the date became free,” he says. It’s also convenient being in the north; Obama doesn’t have to worry about unpleasant inquiries about the NSA affair in Stockholm like he would in Berlin. ‪ “The Swedish government has thus far been amazingly quiet about the matter,” says Jönsson. ‪ Sweden, in concordance with Great Britain, has even prevented the European Union from formulating a common criticism of the surveillance operations.

‪Bildt guaranteed that the NSA affair wouldn’t be raised as a topic during the state visit. ‪ Instead, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt will speak with Obama about the free trade agreement with the EU, which is a goal of the Obama administration. ‪ Sweden is one of the EU countries that is particularly in favor of it.

‪The White House Portrays Sweden as a Pioneer

‪Jönsson thinks the visit is typical in many ways for this U.S. president. Obama often tries to combine such trips with domestic policy objectives, which can be clearly seen in Stockholm. In this manner, the president will discuss climate change on Wednesday and visit a university to become informed about green technologies. The White House and U.S. media have portrayed Sweden as a pioneer of environmental protection, as well as a star of the globalized world economy that knows how to facilitate growth, liberalism and social welfare.

‪Such examples can be effectively used in domestic political debates, especially when it comes to health care reform or the development of alternative energies. Obama’s trip seems reminiscent of the German family rights politicians who often travel to Sweden to visit day care facilities when they need arguments for discussions concerning nurseries back home. In this regard, it’s possible that he didn’t travel to Sweden just for the sake of rewarding them, but also himself. Or did the decision to swap Moscow with Stockholm ultimately have something to do with Russia? For that there is much justification.

‪A Purely Sheepish Visit Looks Different Than This

‪After talking with Reinfeldt, Obama will visit a Stockholm synagogue to attend a memorial for Raoul Wallenberg. The diplomat saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis during World War II, was captured by the Red Army and died, presumably, in a Moscow prison. He is Sweden’s most notable victim of the Cold War.

‪Afterwards, according to the program, there will be a dinner with leaders from Finland, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. Obama already received the leaders of the Baltic countries on Friday at the White House. Bildt said that one must consider this meeting as “a good whole.” For Obama, it’s also about the entire northern European region around the Baltic Sea, the Arctic and parts of the world that have always been, in short, of great economic and geostrategic importance for Russia. A purely sheepish visit would probably look different.