NATO
Sweden is set to become a NATO member this Thursday
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in March 2023 during a press conference in Stockholm. photo
© Jonas Ekströmer/TT/TT News Agency/AP/dpa
After months of stalemate, Sweden finally wants to become a member of NATO tomorrow. However, the big celebration is not scheduled to take place until next week.
This Thursday, Sweden will officially become the 32nd member of the become NATO. According to information from the German Press Agency, the defense alliance expects that the admission process for the Scandinavian country can be completed during a visit to Washington by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström.
One of the remaining steps for Sweden to join NATO is that the certificate of accession will be deposited with the US State Department. This is the so-called depository of the founding treaty of NATO and is responsible for registering documents relating to the so-called North Atlantic Treaty.
The Swedish government confirmed that Kristersson and Billström will be in Washington tomorrow. However, she initially did not want to comment on the possible conclusion of the accession process. One reason considered in alliance circles was that the document documenting Hungary’s consent still had to be officially filed. Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok signed it just yesterday. The necessary parliamentary decision had previously been delayed for a long time.
Long resistance from Hungary and Turkey
The approval finally only came after Kristersson visited Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Several agreements on arms cooperation were announced. Among other things, Hungary is buying four new Jas 39 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden.
Before Hungary, Turkey in particular had blocked Sweden’s accession to NATO for a long time. In the end, the country only gave the necessary consent after Sweden pledged greater efforts in the fight against terrorist organizations. Ankara was primarily concerned with the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), which the EU has also classified as a terrorist organization. The US government also pushed forward a process to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
Under the impression of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden decided in 2022 to apply for membership in NATO after many years of freedom from military alliances. Finland was also there, having been welcomed into the alliance as the 31st member in April last year. According to information from the German Press Agency, a ceremony in Brussels to welcome Sweden is planned for next Monday.