Sweden officially became the 32nd member of NATO, marking a significant shift from its longstanding neutrality stance. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken, presided over the ceremony, with Blinken remarking, “Good things come to those who wait.” Sweden’s accession to NATO underscores the growing concerns about Russian aggression in Europe following the invasion of Ukraine.
The White House hailed Sweden’s membership as a boon for the alliance’s security, emphasizing NATO’s role as “the most powerful defensive alliance in the history of the world.” This move comes as both Sweden and Finland, which joined NATO last year, departed from their Cold War-era military neutrality in response to Russia’s actions.
President Biden is expected to highlight Sweden’s NATO membership in his State of the Union address, portraying it as evidence of NATO’s resilience against Russian attempts to divide and weaken the alliance. Moreover, Biden aims to leverage Sweden’s decision to bolster calls for Republicans to approve stalled military aid to Ukraine.
Today, Sweden officially joins NATO — and officially abolishes the policy of armed neutrality it had maintained for 210 years, which had uniquely kept Sweden out of innumerable European wars, two World Wars, the Cold War, and every other military conflict since **1814** pic.twitter.com/FXvMKViznK
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) March 7, 2024
Sweden’s path to NATO membership faced hurdles, primarily due to objections from NATO members Turkey and Hungary. Turkey expressed concerns over Sweden’s handling of Kurdish groups it deemed terrorists, while Hungary, under President Viktor Orban’s leadership, displayed pro-Russian sentiments. However, after months of delay, both Turkey and Hungary ratified Sweden’s admission, paving the way for its official inclusion in the alliance.
“Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with [Erdogan] & [Kristersson], President Erdogan has agreed to forward Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification,” Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.
Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with @RTErdogan & @SwedishPM, President Erdogan has agreed to forward #Sweden's accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. This is an historic step which makes all #NATO Allies stronger & safer. pic.twitter.com/D7OeR5Vgba
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) July 10, 2023
“This is an historic step which makes all NATO Allies stronger & safer,” he added.
“I welcome the statement issued by Türkiye, Sweden and the NATO Secretary General this evening, including the commitment by President Erdogan to transmit the Accession Protocol for Sweden to Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly for swift ratification,” Biden added.
“I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Türkiye on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally. And I thank Secretary General Stoltenberg for his steadfast leadership.”
