Sweden and Finland set to join NATO in May

[Torrain]

Documents handed in over in Washington, and Sweden formally acknowledged - induction ceremony with flags and anthems at HQ expected on Monday.

[CumbrianLefty]

Finally

[Storr]

It's wikipedia official:

[emailking]

Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming alliance’s 32nd member

Sweden officially joined NATO on Thursday after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred it to rethink its defense policy and abandon its long held position of neutrality.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson formally handed over accession documents to the US State Department in Washington, DC, the final step of a months-long process to gain the approval of all members to allow his country to become the alliance’s 32nd member.

The documents are put into a vault at the State Department, which serves as the treaty depositary for NATO.

“With receipt of this instrument of accession let me be the very first to welcome Sweden as a party to the Washington Treaty and the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said alongside Kristersson.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/europe/sweden-join-nato-official-intl

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

While it is sad to throw away a beautiful legacy and national identity of neutrality, exciting news that we can now import watches for free. A big win for the American one percenters who can upgrade their collections without going abroad.

[Gass3268]

Hopefully Moldova and Ukraine are next.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Hopefully Moldova and Ukraine are next.

I doubt that Putin's pals (Erdogan and Orban) will ever allow that.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Hopefully Moldova and Ukraine are next.

I doubt that Putin's pals (Erdogan and Orban) will ever allow that.

I think this is a fairer characterization of Orban than of Erdogan. The Turkish position is traditionally anti-Russian and Turkey's current interests generally benefit from Russia being frozen out of Europe. Erdogan is a bad-faith wrecker within NATO, but it's for other reasons.

[President Johnson]

Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming alliance’s 32nd member

Sweden officially joined NATO on Thursday after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred it to rethink its defense policy and abandon its long held position of neutrality.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson formally handed over accession documents to the US State Department in Washington, DC, the final step of a months-long process to gain the approval of all members to allow his country to become the alliance’s 32nd member.

The documents are put into a vault at the State Department, which serves as the treaty depositary for NATO.

“With receipt of this instrument of accession let me be the very first to welcome Sweden as a party to the Washington Treaty and the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said alongside Kristersson.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/europe/sweden-join-nato-official-intl

Another strategic victory for Vladimir Putin.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Hopefully Moldova and Ukraine are next.

I doubt that Putin's pals (Erdogan and Orban) will ever allow that.

I think this is a fairer characterization of Orban than of Erdogan. The Turkish position is traditionally anti-Russian and Turkey's current interests generally benefit from Russia being frozen out of Europe. Erdogan is a bad-faith wrecker within NATO, but it's for other reasons.

Yeah Erodgan has openly needled Putin too many times to call him a friend

[KaiserDave]

I feel very mixed about Sweden's entry into NATO, but given the circumstances, it is just and necessary.

[TDAS04]

Fabulous!

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Hilarious that NATO now has a member that hasn't fought a war for 210 years.

[CumbrianLefty]

Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming alliance’s 32nd member

Sweden officially joined NATO on Thursday after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred it to rethink its defense policy and abandon its long held position of neutrality.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson formally handed over accession documents to the US State Department in Washington, DC, the final step of a months-long process to gain the approval of all members to allow his country to become the alliance’s 32nd member.

The documents are put into a vault at the State Department, which serves as the treaty depositary for NATO.

“With receipt of this instrument of accession let me be the very first to welcome Sweden as a party to the Washington Treaty and the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said alongside Kristersson.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/europe/sweden-join-nato-official-intl

Another strategic victory for Vladimir Putin.

So much win!

[Storr]

@NATO: "The Swedish flag was raised at NATO Headquarters for the first time in a ceremony to mark the country’s membership of the Alliance"