On March 7, 2024, Sweden formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), marking a step away from the state’s historical neutrality.
Sweden applied to join in May 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, but the process was delayed by NATO members Turkey and Hungary.
The Student found that 85% of Scandinavian respondents felt NATO membership will ‘definitely’ or ‘maybe’ deter potential Russian aggression towards Sweden.
NATO is a collective military alliance in which member states agree to defend one another in the event of an attack on a member state.
The group was founded in 1949 and now has 32 members.
Significant members include the US, the UK, Germany, Canada, and other European countries.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO.
This means that a Russian invasion of Sweden or Finland would now trigger a military response from NATO.
A Norwegian student told The Student that they are strongly in favour of Swedish NATO membership because a “stronger alliance in that area is needed.”
This collective security view was reflected by other respondents, such as Swedish student Max who said he was very supportive of Finland’s NATO membership.
Ella, from Sweden, highlighted the significance of NATO membership for Swedish foreign policy in ending “200 years of non-alliance” and Sweden’s historical position as a “neutral outsider.”
However, some students remarked that they were “not aware of any difference it would make.”
Swedish student Lukas felt that “NATO membership might complicate Sweden’s international relations” and that Russian aggression was not a big threat to Sweden.
Olof, from Sweden, expressed concern about potential conflict between the Swedish government and NATO’s authority.
The Swedish government celebrated its NATO membership, with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stating that Sweden will “share burdens, responsibilities, and risks with our allies.”
The government’s official position is that “NATO is the best way for Sweden to protect its security” in the face of Russia’s desire for a “fundamentally changed European security order.”
Sweden’s allies – NATO and the US – have celebrated the move, with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken declaring the alliance is “stronger and larger than it’s ever been.”
Blinken added that NATO’s enlargement illustrates Russia’s military, economic, and diplomatic weaknesses.
The Russian government stated that Swedish NATO membership poses a threat to Russian national security, and that the state will “have to take response measures” as a result.
“Sweden joins NATO” by Thiện Ân is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.