JUST IN: #Sweden Finally Joins #NATO [PHOTO]—Two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted it to reconsider its national security strategy and come to the conclusion that membership in the alliance was the Scandinavian country’s greatest assurance of safety, Sweden joined NATO on Thursday in Washington.
Ulf Kristersson, the prime minister of Sweden, delivered the last set of documents to the US administration on Thursday. This was the last stage in a protracted process to get everyone’s support for joining the military alliance.
As he accepted Sweden’s accession documents from Kristersson, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked, “Good things come to those who wait.”
Blinken claimed that during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, “everything changed,” citing polls that revealed a sharp shift in the Swedish public’s stance on NATO membership.
“The sobering realization that struck the Swedes was that Putin might not stop at erasing one neighbor from the map if he was prepared to try.”
The admission of Sweden and Finland, which have a 1,340-km border with Russia, to NATO represents the alliance’s biggest growth in decades. Also, it is a setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has worked to stop the alliance from getting stronger.
“That is a genuinely historic day. Sweden has joined NATO as of late, “said Kristersson. “With the nations that are closest to us in terms of geography, culture, and ideals, we shall fight freedom together.”
The collective defense guarantee of the alliance, which views an attack on one member as an attack on all, will be advantageous to Sweden.
On the admittance, Hakan Yucel, a 54-year-old IT worker in the Swedish capital, stated: “Previously, we were outside and felt a little bit alone… I believe that Russia will now pose much less of a threat.”
The Nordic nation would be a vital link between the Atlantic and Baltic, providing NATO forces with state-of-the-art submarines and a substantial fleet of fighter jets built in the nation.
In retaliation for Sweden’s action, Russia has promised to conduct “political and military-technical countermeasures” that are not yet known.
“Purchasing insurance is similar to joining NATO, at least if the United States is genuinely willing to be the insurance provider,” said Barbara Kunz, a researcher at defence think tank SIPRI.
While Stockholm has been moving closer to NATO over the past 20 years, the country’s decision to join signifies a significant departure from its historical practice of remaining neutral during times of conflict and avoiding military alliances for more than 200 years.
It gained a reputation as a global advocate of human rights following World War II, and with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, administrations have reduced military spending.
Only a few months after its defense minister had just denied NATO membership in 2021, the Social Democratic government at the time applied along with Finland, a neighbor.
“I think [Sweden] really had to make a stand, and I’m glad we did so and that NATO is protecting us, because the tension with Russia has been growing for a couple of years,” said Carl Fredrik Aspegren, 28, a student in Stockholm.
While Finland joined the alliance last year, Sweden was kept waiting as Turkey and Hungary, which both have cordial relations with Russia, delayed ratifying Sweden’s accession.
Turkey approved Sweden’s application in January.
Hungary delayed its decision on Sweden’s accession until Kristersson made a goodwill visit to Budapest on Feb. 23, where the two countries agreed to a fighter jet deal.
(Reuters)
