Sweden officially joins NATO and becoming the 32nd member in the block

After two centuries of neutrality and a period of military non-alignment, Sweden officially joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday.

This shift represents a major development for this country, which maintained its neutrality until 2022 and was wary of angering its neighbor, Russia.

Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, visits Washington, where he is scheduled to officially receive the accession documents from US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, after intense efforts and long negotiations with NATO members.

Sweden’s flag is scheduled to be raised in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday.

Russia has pledged countermeasures in response to Stockholm’s accession, conditional on the extent of Sweden’s integration into NATO’s structure.

With Sweden’s accession, after Finland’s accession last year, all countries bordering the Baltic Sea have become members of NATO, with the exception of Russia.

Despite its military proximity to the United States due to its affiliation with the European Union, Sweden has historically refrained from joining the military alliance formed during the Cold War against the Soviet Union.

Sweden participates in international peacekeeping forces and has not seen war since its conflict with Norway in 1814.

During the accession process, Sweden faced challenges with Türkiye and Hungary, which it was able to overcome with continuous efforts.

Sweden’s accession comes in the context of escalating international tensions and shifts in military alliance structures.