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Sweden ends neutrality, joins Finland in seeking NATO berth

The announcement came after a debate in the Riksdagen, or parliament, earlier on Monday showed that there is a huge support for joining NATO

Newsroom May 16 05:14

Sweden’s prime minister announced Monday that Sweden will join Finland in seeking NATO membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a historic shift that comes after more than 200 years of military nonalignment in the Nordic country.

The move, which is likely to upset the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin, came after neighboring Finland announced Sunday that it too would seek to join the 30-country military alliance.

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson called it “a historic change in our country’s security policy” as she addressed lawmakers in the Swedish capital.

“We will inform NATO that we want to become a member of the alliance,” she said. “Sweden needs formal security guarantees that come with membership in NATO.”

Andersson adding that Sweden was acting together with Finland, whose government announced on Sunday it would seek to to join the alliance.

See Also:

Finland and Sweden join NATO – Russia warns of ‘far-reaching consequences’

The announcement came after a debate in the Riksdagen, or parliament, earlier on Monday showed that there is a huge support for joining NATO. Out of Sweden’s eight parties, only two smaller left-leaning parties opposed it.

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On Sunday, the Swedish Social Democrats broke with the party’s long-standing position that Sweden must remain nonaligned, paving the way for a clear majority for NATO membership in the parliament.

Public opinion in both Nordic countries was firmly against joining NATO before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, but support for NATO membership surged quickly in both nations after that.

Read more: AP

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