Sweden officially joined NATO. The country became the 32nd member of the Alliance.
What is known about Sweden's entry into the Alliance
This is stated in the protocol from the US State Department.
The White House announced the accession earlier. The message emphasised that the presence of Sweden in NATO will make the United States and other allies even more secure.
So, the following will arrive in the capital of Belgium, Brussels, on Mar. 11:
Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson;
Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces Mikael Büden;
other high-ranking politicians of the country.
The publication adds that ambassadors of NATO member countries will be invited, and solemn ceremonies are planned. Press conferences will also be held in connection with the raising of the Swedish flag.
What is known about NATO expansion
In May 2022, after a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland concluded that joining NATO would be the best way to deter aggression. Finland officially joined the Alliance in April 2023, but Turkey and Hungary delayed Sweden's application.
Hungary has repeatedly stated that it supports Sweden's membership in principle but has continued to delay the process, asking Stockholm to stop "bullying" the Hungarian government.
Ankara accused Sweden of insufficient fight against terrorism. President Recep Erdogan has called on Stockholm to extradite people Turkey considers terrorists, including the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Sweden has insisted it meets the criteria for NATO membership but has separately strengthened anti-terrorism laws and lifted restrictions on arms exports to Turkey.
At the same time, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his government partly blamed Sweden for criticising Budapest's democratic retreat.
In the end, Turkey and Hungary agreed to accept Sweden into the North Atlantic Alliance.
