Sweden joins NATO and completes the reinforcement of the Alliance after the Russian aggression. For Sweden, which for two centuries had opted for neutrality in international conflicts, the step represents a 180-degree turn in its foreign and defense policy.

For NATO, the entry of Sweden, added to the recent entry of Finland, represents its greatest expansion since the accession of the Eastern European countries. The two new members share a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia; and, with them, the Alliance manages to be present throughout the Baltic Sea.