Sweden on Monday cleared its final obstacle to joining NATO after Hungary’s parliament ratified the bid on what Sweden’s prime minister called a “historic day,” while other alliance members expressed relief at the move spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden would make the alliance “stronger and safer,” while the US, the main alliance power, as well as the UK and Germany welcomed Sweden’s now imminent accession.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that having Sweden in NATO “strengthens our defense alliance, and with it the security of Europe and the world.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
Russia’s invasion two years ago prompted Sweden and neighboring Finland to apply to join NATO, ending their longstanding stance of nonalignment. However, every NATO member has to approve a new nation and Hungary’s vote ended more than a year of delays that frustrated the other 31 nations as Ukraine battled Russian troops.
Finland joined in April last year, but Sweden’s bid was stalled by both Hungary and Turkey, with Ankara approving Stockholm’s candidacy only last month. Hungary then followed, with 188 parliament members voting in favor and six far-right deputies against.
“Today is a historic day... Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on social media.
Speaking about Russia’s potential reaction, Kristersson told a news conference: “The only thing we can expect with any certainty is that they don’t like Sweden becoming a member of NATO, nor Finland.”
“Nordic countries will have a common defense for the first time in 500 years ... we remain friends, and we become allies,” he said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had long stalled Sweden’s membership, but told parliament that it would “strengthen Hungary’s security.”
Though repeatedly saying it supported Swedish membership in principle, Hungary kept prolonging the process, asking Stockholm to stop “vilifying” the Hungarian government.
After a meeting on Friday last week between Orban and Kristersson in Budapest, the Hungarian leader announced that the two had clarified “our mutual good intentions.”
Hungary also signed a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.
Hungary’s president is expected to sign the law within days.
Sweden, which has been militarily neutral for two centuries, would then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become NATO’s 32nd member. All Baltic nations except Russia would then be part of the alliance.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy said Sweden’s entry “reinforced NATO for the defense of peace and freedom on the European continent.”
Alongside its move into NATO, Sweden in December last year signed an accord that gives the US access to 17 Swedish military bases.
The looming membership has been accompanied by a toughening of declarations by its leaders. General Per Micael Buden, commander-in-chief of the Swedish military, last month said that Swedish people “must mentally prepare for war.”
“It is the last piece of the puzzle in the NATO map for northern Europe,” said Robert Dalsjo, an analyst for the Swedish Defense Research Agency.
People in Sweden mainly cheered the approval.
Jimmy Dahllof, 35, said that Sweden would be “safer ... bringing us closer to our European neighbors.”
“I am very relieved because we have been waiting so long,” 73-year-old Ingrid Lindskrog said.
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