Sweden's path to NATO is clear following the approval of the Hungarian parliament on Monday. The alliance will finally become the dominant power in the Baltic Sea.
Despite its limited access to the sea, Russia is deliberately causing unrest with pinpricks. NATO bordering states also fear acts of sabotage on critical undersea infrastructure. Sweden's accession will make this more difficult for Moscow, but not impossible. But Russia remains a threat to the region, especially as long as the Kremlin destabilizes the region through hybrid activities.