Sweden joins NATO, marking ‘strategic setback’ for Russia

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In a historic move, Sweden officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Thursday, becoming the 32nd member.

The accession documents were handed over at a ceremony in Washington, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken describing it as a “strategic setback” for Russia.

During the ceremony, Blinken expressed satisfaction, stating, “Good things come to those who wait,” upon receiving the accession documents from Sweden’s Prime Minister, following approval by the 31 existing alliance members.

Reflecting on the past, Blinken remarked, “I think if you step back and think of where we were three years ago, none of this was foreordained,” highlighting the unexpected nature of Sweden’s decision to join NATO.

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Addressing the geopolitical context, Blinken emphasized that there is “no clearer example than today of the strategic setback that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has become for Russia,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In response to the development, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson celebrated his country’s NATO membership as a “victory for freedom.”

He emphasized that Sweden’s decision marks a departure from two centuries of non-alignment, particularly in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kristersson stated, “The accession is a victory for freedom today. Sweden has made a free, democratic, sovereign, and united choice to join NATO.”