Thursday, March 7, 2024 will remain a turning point in Swedish history, as Sweden leaves behind 200 years of (official) military non-alignment and joins the US-led military alliance NATO.
On Thursday, prime minister Kristersson and foreign minister Billström landed in Washington to meet with US secretary of state Anthony Blinken and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, who had signed the ratification of Sweden’s NATO application. At 17:00 Swedish time, Sweden became an official member of the US-led military alliance.
− Sweden is leaving 200 years of neutrality and military non-alignment. It is a big step, but at the same time a very important step, said prime miniester Kristersson.
Abandoning 200 years of neutrality to join a military alliance without a referendum is bound to be controversial. While the debate in the establishment media has been notoriously one-sided, a visit to certain social media channels makes it clear that not everyone is enthusiastic about Sweden joining NATO.
“Very unpleasant! I get the feeling that they have given Sweden away… We should have our own defense as we once had, and cooperate with our Nordic neighbors. Self-sufficiency, integrity and national pride. The globalists have kidnapped our homeland…” one user wrote in response to a tweet shared by former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, displaying an American bomber flying over Stockholm.
Mkt obehagligt! Får en känsla av att de gett bort Sverige.. Vi skulle ha ett eget försvar som vi en gång hade, och samarbeta med våra nordiska grannar. Självförsörjning, integritet och nationell stolthet. Globalisterna har kidnappat vårt fädernesland..
— Eliza Douglas (@ElizaD92408) March 7, 2024
On Monday, the NATO flag will be flown at NATO headquarters in Brussels as well as in several parts of Sweden.
