Sweden hoists its flag at NATO and will join Canadian brigade in Latvia

Under a heavy, rain-soaked Belgian sky, Sweden's flag was raised Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels to formally mark its new status as a full member of the western military alliance.

The event was witnessed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who led a delegation in Brussels that included cabinet ministers, Sweden's military commander-in-chief and the nation's Crown Princess Victoria.

Joining NATO was the «only reasonable choice» after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kristersson said in prepared remarks delivered in front of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

«After more than 200 years of military non-alignment, this is a historic step. But also, a very natural step,» Kristersson said. «We have been preparing for decades, and in detail the last two years.

»With this membership, Sweden has come home."

Sweden's official entry into NATO last Thursday — making it the 32nd member of the alliance — was held up for almost two years by Turkey and later Hungary, both of which presented a variety of objections.

Its neighbour, Finland, applied at the same time as Sweden and was accepted into the alliance last year.

Following the flag-raising ceremony, NATO released an in-house video showing Finnish Army tanks and Swedish Army mechanized infantry taking part in the alliance's exercise Nordic Response 2024, which is taking place in Norway and is meant to showcase NATO's ability to move forces rapidly across allied borders.

More than 20,000 troops from 13 NATO countries are taking part in the training.

Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonson was quoted in the alliance video saying his country brings a lot to the table, not only in terms of land power.

«I think we have unique competence in operating