Sweden Officially Joins NATO After Ending Decades of Neutrality
Image Source: dnyuz
Sweden officially became the 32nd member of Nato after completing its accession process in Washington on Thursday after two years of applying to join the military alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sweden’s accession comes a year after Finland joined the Nato alliance in April last year, doubling the length of the alliance’s border with Russia.
Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson said that “unity and solidarity” would be Sweden’s “guiding lights” after he handed over the final documents to the US govt on Thursday, the last step in a drawn out process to secure the backing of all members to join the military alliance. “This has been a little bit of a road but we’ve known from day one that we would be here one day,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said as he received Sweden’s accession documents from the Swedish PM.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called it a “historic day.” In a statement, he said that “Sweden will now take its rightful place at Nato’s table, with an equal say shaping Nato’s policies and decisions. After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of allies’ freedom and security.”
Nato today “is stronger than ever,” US President Joe Biden said. “Nato stands more united, determined, and dynamic” the US leader said, adding that “together with our newest ally Sweden – Nato will continue to stand for freedom and democracy for generations to come.” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky also welcomed Sweden’s accession to Nato, saying “one more country in Europe has become more protected from Russian evil.”
Sweden applied to join the alliance after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but its request was blocked by two members.Turkey initially withheld approval in a row over what it called Sweden’s support to Kurdish separatists. It eventually lifted its veto in January of this year. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused Sweden of being hostile to it and delayed its approval until last week, when the Hungarian parliament eventually voted to ratify the bid.
Mr Blinken recalled Sweden’s 200-year policy of non-alignment which lasted until Russia invaded Ukraine, saying that Nato expansion was not “foreordained” or “foreseeable”.
Mr Kristersson said: “We are humble, but we are also proud. We will live up to all expectations.” “We share burdens, responsibilities and risk with other allies.”
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