Sweden officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as the 32nd military force alliance union member on Thursday. This accession came almost two years after it first applied to the military alliance following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022,
Earlier Thursday, the Swedish government announced its intention to hold a meeting to approve Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. Later in the day, NATO confirmed the decision in a statement, with Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcoming Sweden to take its rightful place at its (NATO) table.
He said: “This is a historic day. Sweden will now take its rightful place at NATO’s table, with an equal say in shaping NATO policies and decisions.
“After over 200 years of non-alignment, Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ freedom and security. Sweden brings with it capable armed forces and a first-class defence industry.
“Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole alliance more secure. Today’s accession demonstrates that NATO’s door remains open and that every nation has the right to choose its path.”
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