SWEDEN has finally accomplished its goal, nearly two years after applying for NATO membership, the Nordic country’s national emblem – the Swedish flag – was raised alongside the flags of thirty-one other member states at the bloc’s headquarters in Belgium.
The presence of the Swedish flag officially marked its role as the 32nd member of NATO following a significant decision to end decades of neutrality.
During a ceremony in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hailed Sweden’s high-end military capabilities which will be beneficial for the Western military alliance’s mission of collective defense.
“Sweden’s membership makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and all of us more secure. Sweden brings high-end capabilities, first-class military forces, and spends more than 2% of GDP on defense. Sweden’s accession shows again that NATO’s door remains open. No one can close it,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.
Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also delivered a speech, with Swedish Crown Princess Victoria by his side to show support. Kristersson said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed the neutral Nordic state to join NATO, and pledged of his country’s commitment to provide security in the region.
“Sweden joins NATO because we believe in the importance of collective defense. But we also join NATO to be a security provider, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea,” Ulf Kristersson Prime Minister of Sweden said.
Sweden officially became the 32nd member of NATO on March 7, 2024. The accession of Finland and Sweden is the most significant expansion NATO has seen in decades.
The two Nordic states are participating in a massive military exercise known as the Nordic Response 2024 wherein more than 20,000 soldiers from 13 nations are taking part.
The flag-raising ceremony was held as Russia prepares for a presidential election later this week. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops near Finland and Sweden’s borders following their accession to the Western military alliance.
