Sweden To Apply To Join NATO. Document Will Be Transferred Along With Finland’s Statement

The government of previously neutral Sweden, against the background of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has decided to apply for the country's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The corresponding statement was made by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, according to the Swedish TV channel SVT.

"We are leaving one era and entering another. We will notify NATO that we want to become a member of the alliance," Andersson said.

According to her, in the near future the Swedish ambassador to Brussels will hand over to the NATO leadership an application for membership in the alliance. It will be submitted along with a statement from neighboring Finland.

The head of the Swedish government also added that the country's parliament has adopted a bill according to which Sweden will be able to receive military assistance from NATO member countries and the European Union.

Recall that today, May 16, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto announced that the country is applying for membership in NATO.

Last week, the German edition of Der Spiegel, citing an informed NATO representative, reported that the procedure for approving applications from Sweden and Finland could take only a few weeks.

We also wrote that NATO is ready to provide security guarantees to Sweden and Finland during the consideration and ratification of their applications for membership in the alliance.