Sweden set to follow Finland and join NATO

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SWEDISH SOLDIERS take part in a military exercise called Cold Response 2022 in Evenes, Norway this week, gathering some 30,000 troops from NATO countries, plus Finland and Sweden, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (photo credit: YVES HERMAN/REUTERS) Image via Jpost

NATO and the United States said on Sunday they were confident Turkey would not hold up membership of Finland and Sweden in the Western military alliance, as the two Nordic states took firm steps to join in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto confirmed on Sunday that his country would apply to join NATO, while Sweden’s ruling Social Democrats announced an official policy change that would pave the way for their country to apply within days.

“Today the Swedish Social Democratic Party took a historic decision to say yes to apply for a membership in the NATO defense alliance,” tweeted Sweden’s foreign minister, Ann Linde. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has deteriorated the security situation for Sweden and Europe as a whole.”

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