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Agence France-Presse

Sweden on Monday cleared its final obstacle to joining Nato after Hungary’s parliament ratified the bid in what Sweden’s prime minister called a “historic day”, while other alliance members expressed relief at the move spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden would make the alliance “stronger and safer” while the United States, the main alliance power, as well as Britain and Germany welcomed Sweden’s now imminent accession.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that having Sweden in Nato “strengthens our defence alliance and with it the security of Europe and the world”.
Russia’s invasion two years ago prompted Sweden and neighbouring Finland to apply to join the transatlantic bloc, ending their long-standing stance of non-alignment.

Every Nato member has to approve a new country however, and Hungary’s vote ended more than a year of delays that frustrated the other 31 nations as Ukraine battled Russian troops.
Finland joined in April last year, but Sweden’s bid was stalled by both Hungary and Turkey, with Ankara approving Stockholm’s candidacy only last month.
Macron does not rule out Europeans sending troops to Ukraine
Hungary then followed, with 188 parliament members voting in favour and six far-right deputies against.
“Today is a historic day … Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security,” Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on X.
Speaking about Russia’s potential reaction, Kristersson told a press conference: “The only thing we can expect with any certainty is that they don’t like Sweden becoming a member of Nato, nor Finland”.
Going forward, “Nordic countries will have a common defence for the first time in 500 years … we remain friends, and we become allies,” he said.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban had long stalled Sweden’s membership but told parliament that it would “strengthen Hungary’s security”.
Though repeatedly saying it supported Swedish membership in principle, Hungary kept prolonging the process, asking Stockholm to stop “vilifying” the Hungarian government.

After a meeting on Friday between the nationalist Orban and Kristersson in Budapest, the Hungarian leader announced that the two had clarified “our mutual good intentions”.
Hungary also signed a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.
Hungary’s president is expected to sign the law within days. Sweden, which has been militarily neutral for two centuries, will then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become Nato’s 32nd member.
US, UK back outgoing Dutch PM Rutte to become Nato chief
All Baltic nations except Russia will now be part of the alliance.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, which currently presides the G7 group of industrialised democracies, said Sweden’s entry “reinforced Nato for the defence of peace and freedom on the European continent”.
Alongside its move into Nato, Sweden signed an accord in December that gives the United States access to 17 Swedish military bases.

The looming membership has been accompanied by a toughening of declarations by its leaders. General Per Micael Buden, commander-in-chief of the Swedish military, said in January that Swedish people “must mentally prepare for war”.
“It is the last piece of the puzzle in the Nato map for northern Europe,” said Robert Dalsjo, an analyst for the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).
In Hungary’s delay, some experts saw a strategy to wring concessions from the European Union, which has frozen billions of euros in funds because of the nationalist government’s policies.
Others argued it underlined Orban’s closeness to the presidents of Russia and Turkey.
For Mate Szalai, an analyst at Venice’s Ca’ Foscari University, Orban was simply playing to his domestic audience.
“Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the transatlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with,” he said.
Many of his acts are intended to provoke Europe, Szalai added.


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Nato

‘Historic day’: Sweden set to join Nato after Hungary approves bid

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Photo: AFP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addressing a parliament session in Budapest. Photo: AP

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson after Hungary’s parliament voted yes to its Nato membership. Photo: AP

A soldier from the Swedish Armed Forces. File photo: AFP

Denmark follows Sweden in ending probe into ‘deliberate’ Nord Stream pipeline blasts

Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, northern Germany. The multi-billion dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of blasts in the Swedish and Danish economic zones in September 2022, releasing vast amounts of methane into the air. Photo: AP

Hungary to let Sweden into Nato following jet fighter deal

A Gripen F Demonstrator jet performs during a flight show in Axalp near Meiringen, Switzerland, in October 2012. Photo: AP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (right) and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson shake hands during a press conference in Budapest on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE

US, UK back outgoing Dutch PM Mark Rutte to become Nato chief

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has received the backing of the US and the UK in his bid to be the new head of Nato. Photo: Reuters

Hungary ruling party boycotts parliament session on Swedish Nato bid, postponing vote

Members of parliament attend the extraordinary session of the Hungarian parliament on the ratification of Sweden’s Nato membership in Budapest, Hungary on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Hungarian President Viktor Orban. Photo: Le Pictorium via Zuma Press / dpa

News

World

Europe

Nato membership will end Sweden’s long history of neutrality and military non-alignment
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Sweden and Finland to apply to join transatlantic bloc


Sweden clears the last hurdle to join Nato, ending the Nordic country’s long history of neutrality and military non-alignment.


‘Historic day’: Sweden set to join Nato after Hungary approves bid

Nato membership will end Sweden’s long history of neutrality and military non-alignment Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Sweden and Finland to apply to join transatlantic bloc

Nato membership will end Sweden’s long history of neutrality and military non-alignment

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Sweden and Finland to apply to join transatlantic bloc