Article addresses the most critical type of policies the state pursues to protect its national interests. State security and its systemic management are variable and should be the response of the state organisation to the nature of emerging threats. The aim of the analysis is to determine the role of the Swedish secret services in shaping the state’s national security policy. The main research hypothesis is that the Swedish secret services generate both favourable and unfavourable impulses for the state to properly respond to threats and shape the national security strategy. The analysis confirms the causative role of these services in maintaining and changing Sweden’s neutrality and its security policy. The conclusions are not only relevant to international security theory but also have practical applications for political practice and the special secret services.