Russia had become increasingly intractable during the fall before the meeting, says Ann Linde, who hosted the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) meeting in Stockholm in December 2021.
Russia had vetoed the OSCE's civilian mission in Ukraine aimed at monitoring the conflict zone.
At the same time, Russia had for a long time built up a military presence along the Russian-Ukrainian border.
The welcome dinner was supposed to lead to a conversation and finally the US and Russian foreign ministers would meet.
But during the dinner, Sergey Lavrov became very specific about what Russia wanted.
- Then Lavrov explains that they no longer believe in the European security order.
That you want a different security order where you take into account the security interests of the great powers, where you don't let each country choose its security policy path because it infringes on their security, Ann Linde tells SVT.
Hear Ann Linde talk about the "electric" atmosphere at the meeting, in the clip above.
The prelude to the war
In the following months after the meeting, further demands came from the Russian side, including that Sweden and Finland should not be allowed to join NATO.
Three months later, the invasion of Ukraine was a fact.
Sweden abandoned its neutrality in the spring and applied together with Finland for membership in NATO.
Everything after that dinner at a conference facility along the E4 between Stockholm and Uppsala.
- Everyone understood that this is something big that is happening and unfortunately not in a positive direction, says Ann Linde.