Sweden formally joins NATO, ending its post-WWII neutrality

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Sweden has formally joined NATO, the transatlantic military alliance, on Thursday.

In a ceremony at the State Department in Washington, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson handed the "instrument of accession" to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"Sweden's long been an active partner with NATO allies, training together, exercise and together, working together. And fundamentally, the reason this is such a strong, powerful fit is because Sweden embodies and promotes the core values that are at the heart of NATO democracy, liberty, the rule of law."

Antony Blinken, Secretary of State

Now NATO's 32nd member, Sweden ends the neutrality it held in the decades after World War II. Sweden, like Finland, which joined NATO last year, changed its stance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The security situation in our region has not been this serious since the Second World War, Russia will stay a serious threat to the Euro Atlantic security for the foreseeable future. It was in this light that Sweden applied to join the NATO Defense alliance to gain security but also to provide security."

Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden