Sweden formally announces intention to join NATO after Finland bid

Sweden on Monday formally announced that it planned to follow Finland in applying for NATO membership, with Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson declaring the country’s intent after a debate in the Swedish parliament.

“We will inform NATO that we want to become a member of the alliance,” Andersson announced after the parliamentary debate revealed enormous political support for the decision to end the country’s more-than-200-years of military non-alignment.

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The session in parliament on Monday saw six out of Sweden’s eight political parties express support for the decision, a day after the Swedish Social Democrats broke with their long-standing position of a non-aligned status for Sweden, thereby paving the way for a clear majority.

Interestingly, public opinion in both Finland and Sweden was strongly against joining NATO, but changed drastically after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24.

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Sweden’s announcement comes a day after neighbouring Finland announced its intention to join NATO, signalling a historic shift in Nordic policy of military non-alignment.

Andersson’s announcement also comes hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the two Nordic countries’ decision to join the alliance posed no threat to Russia, but warned that expansion of NATO military infrastructure in Nordic territory would “certainly provoke” a response from Moscow.

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“What that [response] will be – we will see what threats are created for us. Problems are being created for no reason at all. We shall react accordingly,” the Russian president added.

Putin had repeatedly cited NATO’s eastward expansion as a reason behind the troop-buildup around Ukraine prior to launching the invasion on February 24.