Sweden officially became a new member of NATO, completing all the necessary procedures for its integration into the military organization. This milestone followed Hungary’s submission of the accession protocol in Washington, concluding a process that was initially expected to be swift but ultimately took 22 months due to the reservations of Turkey and Hungary.
The U.S. Department of State confirmed, following Hungary’s action and the submission of Sweden’s protocol, that on Thursday, “the conditions for entry into force” for Sweden’s NATO membership were fulfilled.
Once NATO members ratify accession protocols, the documents must be sent to the United States, where they are deposited with the Department of State. The aspiring country only becomes a NATO member when Washington has the documents from all allies.
Following this step, which formally integrates Sweden as the 32nd ally of NATO, a flag-raising ceremony for Sweden is scheduled to take place on Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels. This event is a traditional way for allies to welcome new members.
Sweden now joins its Finnish neighbors, who joined NATO 11 months ago after both submitted their membership applications in May 2022, just a few months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this way, Swedes and Finns complete an unprecedented shift in their policy of neutrality over the past two centuries, responding directly to the growing threat Moscow posed to the international security landscape following the attack on Ukraine.
Although initially anticipating a swift accession for Sweden and Finland, with suggestions that their incorporation could be completed in just a few months by late 2022 or early 2023, both Nordic candidates had to contend with the reservations of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan cited a lack of cooperation in counterterrorism efforts and an alleged association with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
