Upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the Government of the United States in Washington DC, Sweden became NATO’s newest member on Thursday, March 7th, 2024.
Sweden’s flag was raised alongside those of the other 31 Allies in a ceremony at Allied Command Transformation, NATO’s Strategic Warfare Development Command, and simultaneously at NATO headquarters in Brussels and at NATO commands across Europe.
With Sweden’s accession, NATO now counts 32 countries among its members. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “This is a historic day. Sweden will now take its rightful place at NATO’s table, with an equal say in shaping NATO policies and decisions. After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ freedom and security. Sweden brings with it capable armed forces and a first-class defence industry. Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer and the whole Alliance more secure. Today’s accession demonstrates that NATO’s door remains open and that every nation has the right to choose its own path.”
NATO Allied Command Transformation led the coordination of the integration process through the Sweden Accession & Integration Working Group, established in July 2022. This working group, comprising subject matter experts from NATO and Sweden, facilitated collaboration across 10 Functional Areas of military integration to ensure Sweden met all military pre-conditions.
Sweden’s Accession to NATO comes at a crucial time, given heightened tensions in the region, particularly due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It will enhance NATO’s defence capabilities and security cooperation in the region, marking a significant milestone in European security, and underscoring the continued strength, relevance and endurance of the trans-Atlantic Alliance.