Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström missed an EU summit in Kyiv after a forgetful moment resulted in him leaving his passport behind. This oversight led to him being stopped at the

Poland-Ukraine border and prevented from joining the summit along with other EU foreign ministers.

Officials at the border denied Billström entry due to the missing passport, according to diplomatic sources cited by Austrian newspaper Die Presse. Billström was scheduled to board an eight-hour train to Kyiv with his foreign counterparts, but he was unable to proceed due to the travel hiccup.

While the reason for Billström's absence was not officially confirmed, his press secretary, Anna Erhardt, mentioned a "logistical obstacle" when questioned by Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. However, no further details about the issue were provided.

In Billström's absence, Sweden was represented by the country's ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Åberg. The EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in Kyiv was an informal gathering aimed at demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine. According to reports from Die Presse, the summit took place in a bomb shelter located in the basement of a luxury hotel.

Tobias Billström wasn't the only foreign minister who missed the summit. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who has received the Russian Order of Friendship, declined the invitation to attend. Additionally, Latvian Foreign Minister Krišjanis Karinš and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau had to withdraw from the event after contracting COVID-19.

The informal summit in Kyiv was held to express support for Ukraine, and it occurred amid ongoing international concerns regarding Ukraine's security and the country's relationship with Russia. While Billström's absence may not have had a significant impact on the summit's outcome, it highlights the importance of careful travel preparations, even for high-ranking officials attending important diplomatic events. Photo by Tiia Monto, Wikimedia commons.