Sweden became NATO’s newest member on Thursday (7 March 2024), upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the Government of the United States in Washington DC. With Sweden’s accession, NATO now counts 32 countries among its members. Sweden’s flag will be raised alongside those of the other 31 Allies in a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday (11 March 2024), and simultaneously at NATO commands across Europe and North America. Prior to joining, Sweden and NATO regularly carried out joint exercises, cooperating in peacekeeping operations, and sharing information since 1995, when it sent a battalion to the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “This is a historic day. Sweden will now take its rightful place at NATO’s table, with an equal say in shaping NATO policies and decisions. After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ freedom and security. Sweden brings with it capable armed forces and a first-class defence industry. Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer and the whole Alliance more secure. Today’s accession demonstrates that NATO’s door remains open and that every nation has the right to choose its own path.”
Historically, a minority of the Swedish population has been in favour of NATO membership, but majority opinion changed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Sweden, along with Finland, applied to join the organisation in May 2022. In July 2022, NATO signed the accession protocol for Sweden to join. By the end of September 2022, all NATO members had ratified Sweden’s accession except Turkey and Hungary. On 22 March 2023, the Swedish parliament approved the country’s accession to NATO by a vote of 269–37. Turkey ratified Sweden’s accession on 26 January 2024, followed by Hungary on 7 March 2024. Sweden formally became a member of NATO on 7 March 2024.
Sweden’s (in addition to Finland’s) NATO membership would greatly alter the strategic situation of the Baltic Sea. It would facilitate NATO’s access to the Baltic states in response to their invasion, which could otherwise be isolated and surrounded by an attack on the Suwa?ki Gap. NATO reported in 2015 that Russia simulated a nuclear attack on Sweden in 2013, and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov threatened in 2016 to “take necessary measures” to prevent Swedish NATO membership. In September 2016 a Swedish government report found that escalating tensions in the Baltic would be a likely catalyst for Sweden joining NATO.
