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NATO

UPDATED: What happens next for Sweden’s Nato application?

Hungary on Monday ratified Sweden's Nato application, and now only a few steps remain before the country can become a full member of the defence alliance.

Published: 23 January 2024 21:06 CET
Updated: 27 February 2024 06:00 CET
UPDATED: What happens next for Sweden's Nato application?
Nato and Sweden flags side by side at the Swedish prime minister's country residence, Harpsund, in 2022. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Hungary’s parliament on February 26th voted through Sweden’s Nato application, clearing the final hurdle before the Nordic country can join the military alliance.

With 188 votes in favour and six against, Hungary became the final country to approve Sweden’s Nato application.

Now that the parliament has approved Sweden’s membership, the final decision needs to be made by Hungary’s interim president, currently László Kövér, who has five days to sign the approval and then send it to the US state department in Washington.

All that then remains is for Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg to invite Sweden to present its accession document to the US.

This is expected to be done by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a ceremony in Brussels, with the date still to be confirmed. After that, the flag of Sweden will be hoisted at the Nato headquarters, and the country will officially be a Nato member.

In the case of Finland, for example, Turkey gave the green light on March 30th, 2023, and Finland became a Nato member on April 4th.

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SWEDEN AND GERMANY

What’s on the agenda for German chancellor’s visit to Sweden?

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Sweden to discuss security and business competitiveness with his Nordic colleagues on a two-day visit.

Published: 13 May 2024 14:25 CEST
What's on the agenda for German chancellor's visit to Sweden?

Scholz was to visit the Stockholm headquarters of telecommunications giant Ericsson on Monday, accompanied by the prime ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

They were to “discuss security policy issues such as hybrid threats, civil preparedness and new technologies,” the Swedish government said in a statement.

A press conference was to follow just before 6pm.

“At a dinner that evening, discussions will centre on continued support to Ukraine,” the government said, as Russian troops launched a major ground operation against Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region amid Kyiv’s struggles with Western aid delays.

The Nordic countries and Germany have been among Ukraine’s biggest donors since Russia’s February 2022 invasion.

Berlin is the world’s second biggest donor to Ukraine, giving 14.5 billion euros so far, according to the Kiel Institute.

“Security policy and the upcoming Nato summit will top the agenda,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote in a piece published in financial daily Dagens Industri on Monday.

“Financial competitiveness issues” will also be discussed, he said, noting that “the Nordic region wants to play a key role in efforts to strengthen the European economy”.

On Tuesday, Kristersson and Scholz were scheduled to hold bilateral talks and visit the Norrsken Foundation, which supports young growth companies active in the green and digital transition.

Afterwards the two leaders were to sign a “strategic innovation partnership” between Germany and Sweden.

The visit was to be their first bilateral meeting since Sweden joined Nato in March 2024.

The next Nato summit will take place July 9th-11th in Washington.

“Sweden has, and must have, a clear international voice in the world,” Kristersson wrote in Dagens Industri.

The Scandinavian country has enjoyed decades of strong cooperation with Nordic and Baltic countries, and with intensified collaboration “with two other Baltic Sea countries, Poland and Germany, our region will be safer and stronger”, he said.

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