Sweden’s ruling party have opposed military alignment in the past, but pressure from Finland, a key ally, helped sway their position on Sunday.
Sweden’s ruling party has approved the country’s bid to join NATO, defying the concerns of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the country’s own long-held policy of neutrality. The ruling party, the Social Democrats, came to the decision on Sunday, following division among members and pressure from its neighbor, Finland. The two countries will move forward with a joint bid to join NATO, effectively ending Sweden’s custom over the last 200 years of maintaining military non-alignment. Finland began pursuing NATO membership after Russia, the country with which it shares a massive 800-mile-long border, began its invasion of Ukraine in February. After leading politicians in Finland called for the country to join the strategic organization “without delay” on Thursday, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said Sunday that the nation would submit its bid and begin “a new era.
