As of: March 6, 2024, 4:24 p.m
By: Florian Naumann
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Sweden has been waiting almost two years to join NATO.
An announced US trip could indicate that things could happen very quickly now.
Stockholm/Washington, DC – Sweden had to wait a long, very long time to join NATO.
Things could now move quickly in the last few meters: On Thursday (March 7th), a high-profile delegation led by Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström will travel to the USA - observers see the visit of the two conservatives as an indication of the imminent step into the NATO.
Sweden's accession to NATO is approaching: travel fuels speculation
The Swedish news agency TT
reported
on Wednesday that NATO expects Sweden to be admitted imminently.
This reading could also be heard on Sweden's public broadcaster.
“There is no other way to interpret this than that the government is very sure that Hungary will submit its documents to Washington tomorrow and that Sweden can become a full NATO member,” said political commentator Mats Knutson on
SVT
.
Kristersson may also be planning an appointment with US President Joe Biden, he speculated.
However, there was initially no confirmation of this from Stockholm.
According to a press release, the program included “bilateral meetings” with the US government and meetings with members of Congress.
Whatever will actually happen will probably only happen late in the evening Central European time: According to
SVT
information, Kristersson and Billströn do not want to leave Stockholm-Arlanda Airport until Thursday afternoon.
Joe Biden in Helsinki in the summer of 2023 - will he welcome Sweden and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (left) to NATO on Thursday?
© IMAGO/Adam Schultz/White House
The fact is: On Tuesday, Hungary's new President Tamas Sulyok signed the ratification decision for Sweden's accession to NATO.
Ultimately, all that was missing was Hungary's green light - after Turkey had also blocked the process for a long time.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's tactical considerations probably also played a role.
Sweden now a NATO member?
Final steps in Washington probably within reach
Now the accession protocol must reach the US State Department in Washington from Budapest and be deposited there.
Billström could deposit documents in the US capital of Sweden on Thursday.
According to the TT
agency, this would
officially make the country a NATO member.
According to their information, another ceremonial step is planned for Monday: Sweden's flag will then be hoisted at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
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Sweden and Finland set off towards NATO membership in May 2022.
Turkey initially blocked both accession processes, citing, among other things, support for alleged Kurdish “terrorists” from both countries.
Finland finally became a member in April 2023 - in Sweden's case, the process dragged on until the very end.
The parliament in Ankara only gave the green light in January, followed by Hungary's parliament in February.
In fact, the NATO states and Sweden are already working on closer cooperation.
This also applies to the currently ongoing “Steadfast Defender” maneuver – or its “Nordic Response” branch.
NATO partner Norway (and probably other allies) is interested in a Swedish-Finnish concept for better protection of fighter jets.
(fn)