On March 7, 2024, Sweden officially becomes NATO's 32nd member, ending over 200 years of neutrality — the longest in Europe.
Two centuries of neutrality
Sweden had not participated in armed conflicts since 1814. Neutrality was a pillar of Swedish national identity, maintained through both World Wars and the Cold War.
Obstacles to membership
Unlike Finland, Sweden faced a longer process:
- Turkey: vetoed for months, demanding extradition of alleged PKK members and changes to Swedish terrorism legislation
- Hungary: delayed ratification until the last moment, obtaining bilateral agreements on Gripen aircraft purchases
Transformation of the Baltic
With the accession of Finland and Sweden, the Baltic Sea effectively becomes a "NATO lake". All coastal countries except Russia are now Alliance members.
Putin's failure
The invasion of Ukraine, justified to "stop NATO expansion", achieved the opposite effect:
- Two new NATO members
- 2,500+ km of new NATO-Russia border
- Strengthening of Western cohesion
- International isolation of Russia