Sweden officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a historic shift and the latest seismic upheaval to Europe's security landscape in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
The Nordic country's historic reversal of its lonstanding neutrality means it is now covered by the military alliance’s article 5, which obliges all other members to come to each other’s defense if they are attacked.
Its resolve to become NATO's 32nd member is a direct consequence of Putin's decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Russia's Western neighbor in Feb. 2022. Finland made the same calculation by joining the military alliance last year. Ironically, Putin cited the possibility of NATO's expansion as one of the grounds for his invasion of Ukraine.
“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," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.
"After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under article 5, the ultimate guarantee of allies’ freedom and security," he said. "Sweden brings with it capable armed forces and a first-class defense industry. Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer and the whole alliance more secure."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson deposited the final paperwork with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, where the NATO Treaty was adopted by 12 European and North American countries in 1949.
“Sweden is now leaving 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment behind us,” Kristersson said after his nation cleared the final hurdle with Hungary’s parliamentary approval. “It is a big step. We must take that seriously. But it is also a very natural step that we are taking.”
NATO said Sweden's flag will be raised alongside those of the other 31 allies in a ceremony at NATO's headquarters in Brussels on Monday, and simultaneously at NATO commands across Europe and North America. Sweden's King Gustav XIV formally proclaimed neutrality in 1834, following a loss of territory to Russia during the Napoleonic wars in 1812.
Putin used his annual State of the Nation address last week to threaten the use of nuclear weapons against NATO countries if they send forces to help defend Ukraine. “They must understand that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” he said ahead of a presidential election this month that is certain to hand him another six-year term.
NATO members Britain, France and the United States are three of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons. The others are China, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and Russia.
Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov, an ally of Putin, broached the idea of launching nuclear strikes on some "Western cities" among the three nuclear-armed NATO members, according to an excerpt shared on Friday by Daily Beast columnist Julia Davis, creator of the Russian Media Monitor.
A greater presence in the Baltic region
The addition of the two Nordic countries strengthens NATO's presence along Russia's Western borders, around the Arctic Circle, and, crucially, in the Baltic Sea, where Russia's Baltic Fleet, based at Kaliningrad, has advanced nuclear-capable Iskander missiles.
NATO covers just 13% of the 20,000 kilometers of land borders that Russia shares with 14 other countries.
Finland's decision to join NATO after decades of official non-alignment, however, more than doubled the 1,215 kilometers of borders that NATO members share with Russia.
Finland and Russia share a 1,340-kilometer border. Sweden does not share a border with Russia but has 3,218 kilometers of Baltic Sea coastline to its east.
On Monday, NATO kicked off the Norway-led Nordic Response 2024, an exercise to defend its newly expanded territory. More than 20,000 soldiers from 13 nations are taking part in drills for 12 days in Finland, Norway and Sweden.
"In today's security situation, it is more important than ever to train on defending our own areas, in addition to receiving allied soldiers and materiel," said Norway's Vice Admiral Rune Andersen, who heads the exercise in Norway.
"Equally important," he added, "is strengthening our ability to cooperate and operate together with forces from NATO and partner countries."
The Nordic training is part of Steadfast Defender 24, the main NATO multi-domain exercise this year. NATO called it the biggest exercise in decades, with about 90,000 troops from all 32 allies.
"The exercise demonstrates NATO's capability to quickly deploy and reinforce in times of crisis, focusing on training for deterrence and defense across the Euro-Atlantic region," it said.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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