Sweden signed an agreement with NATO on Thursday in Washington, formally ending its long history of quasi-neutrality and becoming the alliance’s 32nd member and the second new member in the past year.
Sweden, like Finland, joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in April 2023. The official signing of the instrument of accession with the US Department of State, headed by Antony Blinken, took place with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Washington, DC.
US Department of State It’s a storage room for Washington Convention It founded NATO in 1949 and is the resulting institution for registering new member states. A similar ceremony was held in Finland last year.
It’s official – #Sweden Currently the 32nd member #NATO, has a rightful place at our table. Sweden’s membership will make NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the entire alliance more secure. We look forward to raising their flag at NATO headquarters on Monday.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) March 7, 2024
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine for the second time in 2022, fearing a resurgent Russia is turning its greedy gaze on its neighbors. Sweden’s accession to NATO will to some extent complete the so-called “NATO lakes” in the Baltic Sea. Currently, all states bordering this ocean are NATO members, with the exception of Russia, which has the sea ports of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad (Königsberg).
Although Finland’s accession was processed quickly, Sweden has clashed with various NATO members in the past, and has struggled to convince some countries, mainly Turkey and Hungary, to become active new members. It took time.
In the case of Turkey, for example, the Turkish government is opposed to Sweden giving refuge to militants that the Turkish government considers terrorists, and has raised concerns about Sweden’s strong free speech laws that allow for the burning of the Koran. Both are obstacles to realization. All NATO members can veto new state applications, and Article 5 of the alliance states that an attack on one is an attack on all, making mutual defense an absolute necessity. Considering this, it is an essential safety measure.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said: “Today is a truly historic day… We are humbled but also proud. We continue to live up to the high expectations of all NATO allies. We stand united. Unity and solidarity will be Sweden’s guiding principles.”
The Swedish flag will be raised in a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday.
Sweden may bow to Turkey’s demands to enact blasphemy law and burn banned Koran in exchange for NATO membershiphttps://t.co/whKkCe4fPG
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) July 8, 2023
