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Here are all the foreign ministers of NATO countries. Finland and Sweden will be part of this picture.
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– We will go through this together with our neighboring country Finland.
Ulf Kristersson (M) points out that the NATO application takes place at a very special time.
– This is a historic decision, he says.
– Sweden will be safer in NATO than outside, but we live in a dangerous time. Russia does not like Finland and Sweden joining NATO. Just like they do not like that we are on Ukraine’s side, or that we give weapons to the Ukrainian army, or that we expel Russian spies, says Kristersson.
Huitfeldt: – Provides completely new opportunities
The fact that both Sweden and Finland will now apply for NATO membership gives the Nordic region completely new opportunities in defense and security policy, Anniken Huitfeldt tells NTB.
The Foreign Minister believes that Finland and Sweden now want to join NATO also shows how Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have created major and lasting changes in security policy.
– The Kremlin wanted to keep NATO away from Russia’s borders, but has achieved the opposite. It is important to emphasize that Finnish and Swedish membership do not threaten anyone. Now we will ensure a quick admission process and be clear in our solidarity with Sweden and Finland in the transition phase, says Huitfeldt (Labor Party) in a statement to NTB.
– This gives the Nordic region completely new opportunities in defense and security policy, she says.
Said yes to application
The Riksdag debated the topic on Monday morning.
– If Sweden becomes the only EU country in the Baltic Sea region that is not a member of NATO, then we would end up in a very uncertain position. (…) The best thing for our country’s security is that we apply for membership in NATO, and that we do it now, together with Finland, said Magdalena Andersson when she opened the debate.
On Sunday, the ruling Social Democrats agreed to apply for membership in NATO.
During the debate, the message also came from the Sweden Democrats, the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, the Center Party and the Liberals: Sweden should join NATO.
Only the Left Party and the Green Party say no.
– It does not help Ukraine, said the Left Party’s Nooshi Dadgostar, and warned against the decision to leave 200 years of freedom of alliance.
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