Sweden officially joins NATO military alliance

Sweden officially joined theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday, becoming its 32nd member.

NATO announced the accession in a statement released Thursday.

“This is a historic day,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. “After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ freedom and security.”

Article 5 of NATO’s treaty means all members must come to the aid of an ally whose territory or security is under threat. It has only been activated once, by the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Stoltenberg said Sweden will now have an equal say in shaping NATO’s policies and decisions, and the country brings to the alliance a “capable” armed force and “first-class” defence industry. Sweden’s contributions will include cutting-edge submarines.

“Today’s accession demonstrates that NATO’s door remains open and that every nation has the right to choose its own path,” Stoltenberg said.

In a statement on X, Sweden’s prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, thanked all of the allies for welcoming the country into the alliance.

“We will strive for unity, solidarity and burden-sharing, and will fully adhere to the Washington Treaty values: freedom, democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. Stronger together,” he said.

Kristersson handed over the final documentation needed for the addition to be official in Washington on Thursday.

Sweden’s addition comes over two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, an event that caused the country to rethink its national security.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that “everything changed” after the invasion.

“Swedes realized something very profound: that if Putin was willing to try to