Early in the afternoon, Hungary became the last of 31 countries to deposit their ratification of the Swedish NATO application. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg then invited Sweden to join the alliance. During the Swedish government’s subsequent meeting, it was decided that Sweden should join.
At 4 p.m., Kristersson signed the decisive documents, i.e. the so-called instrument of accession. Just over an hour later, he and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) handed it over to US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken.
– The NATO alliance is now bigger and stronger than it has ever been, said the US minister after the handover.
Sweden is thus a formal member of the NATO defense alliance and is covered by the mutual defense guarantees in Article Five of the NATO Treaty.
– Unity and solidarity must be Sweden’s guiding star as a NATO member. We will share burdens, responsibilities and risks with our allies, said Ulf Kristersson during the ceremony.
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Hear part of Kristersson’s speech after Sweden’s NATO entry. Photo: SVT
After entering, the prime minister also gave a speech addressed to the Swedish people. Here you can see it in its entirety.
A long process
Sweden’s historic U-turn on NATO membership was a direct reaction to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
After the Social Democrats wavered on the issue, there was support from a majority in the Riksdag. At a specially called government meeting, then Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (S) decided to let Sweden apply for membership. Most NATO countries approved the application quickly, but Turkey’s and Hungary’s approval took time.
Next week, Sweden’s flag is expected to be raised next to the flags of the other nations at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
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Here Ulf Kristersson writes under Sweden’s accession document. Photo: Kristoffer Törnmalm
