Zelenskyy awards Swedish finance minister Order of Princess Olga
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson the Order of Princess Olga, Third Class.
Censor.NET reports that this is stated in Presidential Decree No. 915/2026.
Swedish official recognised for supporting Ukraine
According to the document, the Swedish official was recognised for significant personal contributions to strengthening the Ukrainian-Swedish partnership and for her consistent support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"To award the Order of Princess Olga, Third Class, to Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister for Finance of the Kingdom of Sweden," the decree states.
The president signed the document on September 15, 2026.
Elisabeth Svantesson serves as Sweden’s finance minister and represents the Moderate Party. She has repeatedly advocated for continued large-scale financial and military support for Ukraine.
In particular, Svantesson was among the supporters of using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s needs. In October 2025, she called on the European Union to step up work on the so-called EUR 185 billion "reparations loan," which was to be backed by frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank.
The Swedish minister noted that opportunities to find alternative sources of funding for Ukraine were becoming increasingly limited, so the EU should work more actively with frozen Russian assets.
Svantesson supported military aid and sanctions
The politician has advocated for continued large-scale support for Ukraine. In particular, she took part in presenting a three-year framework programme of military aid for Ukraine for 2024–2026 worth SEK 75 billion. The programme provided for the allocation of SEK 25 billion annually.
The Swedish minister also supported stronger sanctions pressure on Russia and the use of proceeds from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s benefit. She stressed that Russian assets must remain frozen until Russia compensates Ukraine for the damage inflicted.
Svantesson also took part in meetings with Ukrainian government representatives dedicated to supporting Ukraine and cooperation between the countries.
