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The Swedish government has confirmed it intends to apply for membership of Nato, joining neighbouring Finland in a dramatic decision that marks one of the biggest strategic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to date.
“There is a broad majority in Sweden’s parliament for Sweden to join Nato,” the prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, said on Monday. “This is the best thing for Sweden’s security. We will inform Nato that we want to become a member of the alliance.”
Ms Andersson told a press conference following a parliamentary debate that Sweden would be “in a vulnerable position” while the application was being processed, but that she felt “confident that there is support for this among the Swedish people”.
The Finnish government on Sunday confirmed its intention to join Nato while Andersson’s ruling Social Democrats agreed to drop their longstanding opposition to the idea, paving the way for membership applications within days.
The decision by the two governments, both of which have remained neutral or non-aligned since the end of the second World War, drew a sharp initial response from Russia, which described it as a serious mistake with far-reaching consequences.
“The situation is, of course, changing radically in light of what is happening,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said on Monday. “The fact that Finland and Sweden’s security will not be strengthened as a result of this is very clear to us.”
Mr Ryabkov added that the two Nordic nations “should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it”, warning that the move was “another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences” and the “general level of military tension will increase”.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, also said on Monday that Moscow would “follow very carefully what will be the consequences” of the Nordic nations’ move “for our security, which must be ensured in an absolutely unconditional manner”.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said Russia did not see Finnish and Swedish Nato membership as a direct threat in itself, but warned that deployment of military infrastructure in their territories “would certainly provoke our response”.
Russia has repeatedly warned both countries against joining Nato, saying such a move would oblige it to “restore military balance” by strengthening its defences in the Baltic Sea region, including by deploying nuclear weapons.
Finland shares a 1,300km land border with Russia and Sweden a maritime border. Both countries have for decades considered that joining the 30-member, US-led Nato alliance would represent an unnecessary provocation of Moscow.
Change in support
However, Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24th has led to a profound change in Nordic thinking, with public support for Nato accession in Finland more than trebling to about 75 per cent and rising to between 50 per cent and 60 per cent in Sweden.
The Swedish and Finnish parliaments debated the issue on Monday, with the session in Helsinki set to last several days. While 85 pe cent of Finland’s 200 MPs back membership, 150 have requested to speak and a vote was not expected on Monday.
“Our security environment has fundamentally changed,” the prime minister, Sanna Marin, told parliament as she opened the debate. “The only country that threatens European security, and is now openly waging a war of aggression, is Russia.”
In Stockholm, Andersson told MPs “a historic change in our country’s security policy” was underway and that Sweden “needs the formal security guarantees that come with Nato membership”.
The Finnish president, Sauli Niinisto, is due in Stockholm on an official visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, suggesting a joint application by the two Nordic neighbours to join the alliance could be formally submitted within the next three days.
The Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has said the countries would be “welcomed with open arms” and their accession would be quick, although Turkish objections could delay the process, which requires unanimity among members.
Sweden’s defence minister, Peter Hultqvist, said on Monday Stockholm was working to overcome Ankara’s reservations, which centre on Swedish support for the Kurdish PKK group, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US.
“We will send a group of diplomats to hold discussions and have a dialogue with Turkey so we can see how this can be resolved and what this is really about,” Hultqvist said.
Speaking before a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, the Canadian foreign minister, Melanie Joly, called for Finland and Sweden’s speedy accession.
“Our goal is to be amongst the first countries to be able to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland, because we know that the interim period between the accession demand and the ratification must be shortened,” she said.
Joly added that she had held discussions with Turkey, saying: “We need to meet this moment, this is historic and it is way more important than any bilateral issues.”
Nato and the US have both said they were confident Turkey would not hold up Sweden’s accession. “I’m confident we will be able to address the concerns Turkey has expressed in a way that doesn’t delay the membership,” Stoltenberg said on Sunday. – Guardian