Leaders of major European powers welcomed Sweden’s formal accession to NATO on Thursday.
Calling the day historic and congratulating Sweden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrote on X:
“NATO is the most successful defensive alliance in history, standing as a bulwark of freedom and democracy for three quarters of a century.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot also welcomed the development, telling the X website that Sweden’s accession strengthens the alliance.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told X that he had called his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson to congratulate him on Sweden’s entry into the alliance.
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib also congratulated Sweden, writing “Welcome Sweden” on X’s website with the hashtags #StrongerTogether and #WeareNATO.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also welcomed the event in short video messages they posted on the X website.
Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu welcomed Sweden’s joining the Alliance as its 32nd member in a message on the X website and said she looked forward to meeting her Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom at the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in April.
Commenting on the matter, Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said:
“Welcome to an Alliance that is not merely defensive, but also defends values.”
Sweden finalised its entry into the alliance after Hungary became the latest NATO member to ratify the country’s membership last week, with the instruments of ratification sent to Washington on Thursday. Turkey approved Sweden’s application in January.
Sweden’s flag will be raised along with those of the other 31 members at a ceremony on Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels to mark the accession.
