Sweden joined North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Sweden officially joined NATO recently, becoming its 32^nd member after abandoning its long- held position of neutrality.

Why did Sweden Join NATO?

• The Swedish Prime Minister formally handed over accession documents to NATO after approval of all its members to allow Sweden to become its 32nd member.
• This was possible after Turkey and Hungary gave their consent for membership of Sweden.
• Sweden can take its rightful place at NATO’s table, with an equal say in shaping NATO policies and decisions.
• The country remained neutral in both World Wars but when Russian troops began marching toward Kyiv in 2022, Sweden and its Nordic neighbor Finland, became alert to the threat.
• These countries are near the Russian border and, hence need more protection.
• Finland which shares a 1,300 km border with Russia, officially joined in 2023, more than doubling NATO’s border.
• Sweden’s 200-year-old policy of non-alignment stretches back to the Napoleonic Wars and the Swedish population’s lack of appetite to join the alliance before Russia’s invasion.

Positives for NATO:

• The bloc would be more united, determined, and dynamic than ever to “stand for freedom and democracy for future generations.
• Sweden shares values and principles in line with NATO’s commitment to international security in the face of Russia’s threats and war in Ukraine.
• This collective effort shall strive for unity, solidarity and burden-sharing, and will fully adhere to the Washington Treaty values.
  • These values include freedom, democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):

• It is a political and military alliance of 30 European countries and two countries in North America (United States and Canada).
• It was established in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and some Western European countries to ensure their stability and security after World War II.
• NATO’s goal is to protect the security and freedom of its members through political and military means.
• It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, while its flag is a dark blue field with a white compass rose emblem and four radiating white lines of four cardinal directions.

Location of Sweden:

• It is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe.
• Sweden lies to the southwest of Finland, while Norway lies to the west.
• It shares maritime borders extending along the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea to the east.
• The Sound (Öresund) Strait separates Sweden from Denmark in the south.
• A shorter coastline along the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits forms Sweden’s border to the southwest with Norway.

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