Sweden has officially decided to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This is the result of all countries that had expressed support for membership completing the process, and the final procedure for confirming membership, approval by the Hungarian Parliament, has been given.

NATO, an international organization that has been responsible for global security even after the end of the Cold War, has strategic significance to Sweden’s membership. Particularly, this decision was made in response to the escalating international situation around the Baltic Sea, and is believed to be intended to strengthen regional security.

In 2022, in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sweden decided to revise the long-standing neutral policy and decided to join NATO as a specific countermeasure to Russia’s provocative actions.

The Hungarian Parliament approved Sweden’s NATO membership on the 26th. This is the final stage of membership procedure that requires approval by member countries, and with this, Sweden’s NATO membership has been officially confirmed.

As a result, Sweden, as a new member of NATO, will strengthen the defense structure of the organization and ensure regional security. Membership in NATO is an important turning point for Sweden, a neutral country, in its foreign policy, and its future activities are attracting attention.