Sweden is poised to become the 32nd member of NATO after Hungary, the final NATO member withholding approval, held a parliamentary vote on Monday, February 26, to approve Sweden's membership.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden abandoned its longstanding military non-alignment policy and opted to join the world's largest military alliance.
The move was finally approved by lawmakers in Budapest, Hungary, with the parliament voting 188 to 6 in favor of the resolution for Sweden's membership. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his friendly ties with Russia's Putin, had delayed approval for more than 600 days.
Orbán gave his final approval just before the weekend, after Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson flew to Budapest and signed a defense deal, resolving years of strained relations over human rights and the rule of law in Hungary.
With all existing NATO allies now ratifying Sweden's membership, a flag-raising ceremony is expected at NATO headquarters in Brussels later this week, less than a year after fellow Nordic country Finland joined the alliance.
Swedish PM Kristersson hailed it as a "historic day," stating, "Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security."
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the Hungarian parliament's vote, saying, "Sweden’s membership will make us all stronger and safer."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also praised the approval, noting that all allies would benefit from Sweden's membership.
However, Moscow has threatened both Sweden and Finland since their decisions to turn toward NATO. The West has increased its presence in the Baltic Sea, a vital transit route for the Russian navy, leading to heightened tensions.
Last year, the Russian embassy in Stockholm labeled Sweden "a legitimate target for Russia’s retaliatory measures," while Finland closed its border with Russia due to "systematic" and "organized" efforts by Russian authorities to send African migrants into Finnish territories.
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