Sweden has formally joined NATO as its 32nd member.
This ends decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment with major powers.
Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson and U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken presided at a ceremony in which Sweden’s “instrument of accession” to the alliance was officially deposited at the State Department.
“Good things come to those who wait,” Blinken said as he received Sweden’s accession documents.
“This is a historic moment for Sweden. It’s historic for the alliance. It’s historic for the transatlantic relationship,” Blinken said.
Blinken added, “Our NATO alliance is now stronger, larger than it’s ever been.”
Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson said in a statement delivered in Washington, DC after a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, “Today is truly a historic day.”
“We are humbled, but we are also proud. We will live up to high expectations from all NATO allies. United we stand. Unity and solidarity will be Sweden’s guiding light.”
Ulf Kristersson
“We will share burdens, responsibilities and risks with our allies,” he added.
The White House said that having Sweden as a NATO ally “will make the United States and our allies even safer.”
“NATO is the most powerful defensive alliance in the history of the world, and it is as critical today to ensuring the security of our citizens as it was 75 years ago when our alliance was founded out of the wreckage of World War II,” it said in a statement.
Later Thursday, Kristersson was to visit the White House and then be a guest of honor at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address to Congress.
At a press conference in Stockholm on Thursday, Sweden’s Minister for Employment and Integration Johan Pehrson labelled the accession “a new security policy era for Sweden”, adding that he had personally been waiting for such a decision for 20 years.
The Nordic nation applied to join the military alliance in May 2022, but faced delays from Turkey and Hungary.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, sparked Sweden and its neighbour Finland – which shares a 1,340km (832-mile) border with Russia – to apply to join NATO.
While Finland joined last year, Sweden was kept waiting as Turkey and Hungary delayed ratifying Sweden’s accession.
Turkey approved Sweden’s application in January.
Hungary delayed its move until Kristersson made a visit to Budapest on February 23, 2024, during which the two countries agreed on a fighter-jet deal.
“A Historic Day”
NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg described NATO’s accession as “a historic day.”
“Sweden will now take its rightful place at NATO’s table, with an equal say in shaping NATO policies and decisions,” he said in a statement.
“Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer and the whole alliance more secure,” Stoltenberg said.
He added that the move “demonstrates that NATO’s door remains open and that every nation has the right to choose its own path.”
Stoltenberg underscored that the Nordic country “now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of allies’ freedom and security.”
Article 5 of NATO’s treaty obliges all members to come to the aid of an ally whose territory or security is under threat.
The Swedish flag will be raised outside the military organization’s headquarters in Brussels on Monday.
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