Sweden Joins NATO as 32nd Member
Sweden officially joined NATO, becoming its 32nd member and concluding a two-year period of negotiations prompted by security concerns amid the Ukraine conflict.
This historic move marks the end of Sweden's 200-year tradition of non-alignment.
Sweden's Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, celebrated the accession by declaring it a "victory for freedom" in Washington alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Following the ceremony, Kristersson joined President Joe Biden for the State of the Union address, during which ongoing support for Ukraine was a key topic.
Sweden will soon hoist its national flag at NATO's Brussels headquarters, fulfilling a commitment that expands the Alliance's Baltic Sea presence, now including all surrounding nations except Russia. This expansion has triggered Russian threats of "countermeasures," particularly against any NATO military deployments within Sweden.
The push for both Sweden and Finland to join NATO was catalyzed by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Finland succeeded in joining in April 2023, while Sweden's bid faced hurdles, especially objections from Turkey. Turkey's concerns centered around Sweden's asylum policies and the handling of Kurdish groups and incidents involving desecration of the Koran.
To appease Turkey and facilitate Sweden's membership, the US agreed to a $23 billion sale of F-16 jets to Ankara, and increased military cooperation with Greece, another NATO ally in the region.
Hungary provided the final rubber stamp needed for Sweden's accession after its parliament ratified the membership in February. However, signing the formal accession documents was delayed because of the temporary absence of a Hungarian president following a resignation.
Despite the successful NATO entry, Swedish public opinion remains mixed, with a majority believing it required too many concessions, even though they feel it will enhance national security.
Sweden's Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, celebrated the accession by declaring it a "victory for freedom" in Washington alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Following the ceremony, Kristersson joined President Joe Biden for the State of the Union address, during which ongoing support for Ukraine was a key topic.
Sweden will soon hoist its national flag at NATO's Brussels headquarters, fulfilling a commitment that expands the Alliance's Baltic Sea presence, now including all surrounding nations except Russia. This expansion has triggered Russian threats of "countermeasures," particularly against any NATO military deployments within Sweden.
The push for both Sweden and Finland to join NATO was catalyzed by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Finland succeeded in joining in April 2023, while Sweden's bid faced hurdles, especially objections from Turkey. Turkey's concerns centered around Sweden's asylum policies and the handling of Kurdish groups and incidents involving desecration of the Koran.
To appease Turkey and facilitate Sweden's membership, the US agreed to a $23 billion sale of F-16 jets to Ankara, and increased military cooperation with Greece, another NATO ally in the region.
Hungary provided the final rubber stamp needed for Sweden's accession after its parliament ratified the membership in February. However, signing the formal accession documents was delayed because of the temporary absence of a Hungarian president following a resignation.
Despite the successful NATO entry, Swedish public opinion remains mixed, with a majority believing it required too many concessions, even though they feel it will enhance national security.
