Sweden’s entry into NATO, formalized this Thursday, places all Nordic nations under the alliance’s umbrella and strengthens NATO’s reach over the entire Baltic region. Sweden’s adherence protocol, confirmed by the State Department in Washington, marks a pivotal shift in its foreign policy after two centuries of military nonalignment. As the 32nd member, Sweden had already started aligning with NATO for decades following the end of the Cold War, including joining the Partnership for Peace initiative that allowed Swedish troops to participate in missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan.
The 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia provided another incentive to deepen collaboration, enabling for the first time NATO troops to conduct joint exercises on Swedish soil and spurring the reintroduction of national conscription. A permanent NATO presence was also established on the Baltic island of Gotland, underscoring strategic value in the region.
What truly accelerated matters was the broader military response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In coordination with Finland, Sweden submitted its accession request a few months later. To advance the plan, two of Sweden’s three main political forces, the Social Democrats and the far-right Democrats of Sweden, had to shift their stance on NATO, thereby reordering priorities in the Riksdag on this issue.
Sweden’s accession was formally ratified at NATO’s Madrid summit in June of that year, though Turkey and Hungary caused delays that extended the timetable. In Sweden’s case the process stretched nearly two years. Turkey pointed to Stockholm’s approach to Kurdish dissidents and the PKK while awaiting U.S. approval for the sale of F-16 fighters. Hungary referenced past criticisms of the government and the overall friction with certain parliamentary blocs, but ultimately approved the entry as the process moved forward.
With membership, Sweden brings a force of about 25,000 troops, a robust defense industry, and the Nordic region’s largest air force, supported by roughly a hundred fighter aircraft. The Gotland island, the Baltic Sea’s largest island, holds strategic significance that now aligns with NATO’s command in the area. The expansion is expected to affect Russian naval movements around Saint Petersburg and Kaliningrad, reshaping regional security dynamics in ways that extend beyond Stockholm’s borders. [Citation: Updated NATO coverage, 2024].
The decision to bring Sweden into NATO reflects a broader shift in regional defense policy and a clear signal about the alliance’s posture amid renewed great-power competition. The alliance now covers the Baltic Sea with greater cohesion, potentially influencing deterrence calculations for Moscow and affecting alliance-scale deployments and readiness in northern Europe. [Citation: Defence analysis, 2024].