Sweden’s ruling party greenlights joining NATO; bloc chief calls potential adds ‘historic’

Key updates

Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave remarks at an informal meeting of NATO members in Berlin on May 15. (Video: The Washington Post)

By John Hudson

Julian Duplain

Victoria Bisset

and

May 15, 2022

Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.

Ahead of the move, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared that the accession of Sweden and Finland would be a “historic moment” — additions that would enhance security and show that “aggression does not pay.”

Earlier on Sunday, Finland’s prime minister and president announced that the nation is seeking NATO membership, with a formal application expected as soon as Tuesday. President Sauli Niinisto said in an interview Sunday on CNN that a call with Vladimir Putin was “calm and cool” and that the Russian president made no specific threats even though he called Finland’s decision a “mistake.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was “very confident” that NATO would reach consensus on admitting Sweden and Finland to the military alliance. The top U.S. diplomat said that during a meeting in Berlin of NATO foreign ministers, he “heard almost across the board very strong support” for the countries’ plan to join. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had earlier criticized Sweden and Finland as “home to many terrorist organizations,” a reference primarily to Kurdish separatists.

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Key update

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[Salon] Sweden’s ruling party greenlights joining NATO; bloc chief calls potential adds ‘historic’

Sweden’s ruling party greenlights joining NATO; bloc chief calls potential adds ‘historic’

Here’s what else to know