Sweden took another step towards NATO after the ruling Social Democratic Party announced on Sunday (15) its position in favor of membership, coinciding with the day that the government of Finland approved the submission of its application to join the Atlantic alliance.
“The best thing for the security of Sweden and the Swedes is to join NATO,” said Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, whose minority one-party government will formally announce its decision on Monday after a parliamentary debate in which It has the support of the main subtitles.
Andersson cited the war in Ukraine and the Finnish position as key arguments to justify a radical shift in a party that has made non-alignment a hallmark for decades and that in November approved at its congress maintaining ally status and rejecting it. to full entry into the alliance.
“Military non-alignment has served us well, but it won’t do the same in the future. It is not a decision that we take lightly, but we must adapt to reality”, highlighted Andersson, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ann Linde, assured that there is no “realistic alternative” outside NATO.
Andersson also stressed that there is a “before and an after” of February 24, the date of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and that Sweden would be in a “very exposed” position if it were the only Baltic country not integrated into NATO.
At the same time, he stressed that the decision is not directed “against Russia”, although he admitted that he expects some kind of retaliation from Moscow in the form of “cyber attacks, hybrids or other measures”.
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