With Hungary`s parliament voting to ratify Sweden`s bid to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Scandinavian nation is set to join 31 other countries in the alliance.
After nearly two years of negotiations, Sweden follows Finland, which was accepted into NATO last year. The countries applied to join at the same time in May 2022, but Hungary and Turkey both objected to Sweden joining.
The Nordic country`s entry into NATO was momentarily paused with opposition from Turkey, but the country eventually agreed to support Sweden`s bid to join the organization, according to the Associated Press.
Sweden`s final hurdle came Monday, when Hungary at last voted to let the nation join NATO.
Why didn`t Turkey or Hungary want Sweden to join NATO?
Turkey previously cited Sweden`s support for Kurdish separatist groups and restrictions on arms exports from the country as reasons it had reservations about its joining.
On the other side, Hungary`s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, is a right-wing nationalist who has forged close ties with Russia. The country cited criticism from Swedish politicians of Hungary’s democracy as harming relations between the two countries, leading to a reluctance among lawmakers in Orbán`s party, Fidesz, to support Sweden`s bid.
Can Sweden join NATO with out Hungary`s permission?
No. All members of NATO must give their approval before another country is able to join, according to the Associated Press.
Why is Sweden joining a big deal?
According to reporting from USA TODAY and the AP, these are some of the reasons why:
- Their entry has been blocked for over two years
- Sweden has stayed out of military alliances for over 200 years, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine changed that. While Sweden doesn`t border Russia, it is very close to it
- Russia opposed NATO`s expansion and threatened to respond if NATO tried to establish military infrastructure in Sweden or Finland, which does border Russia
Who are NATO`s members?
The following countries are members of NATO:
Belgium, 1949
Canada, 1949
Denmark, 1949
France, 1949
Iceland, 1949
Italy, 1949
Luxembourg, 1949
Netherlands, 1949
Norway, 1949
Portugal, 1949
United Kingdom, 1949
United States, 1949
Greece, 1952
Turkey, 1952
Germany, 1955
Spain, 1982
Czech Republic, 1999
Hungary, 1999
Poland, 1999
Bulgaria, 2004
Estonia, 2004
Latvia, 2004
Lithuania, 2004
Romania, 2004
Slovakia, 2004
Slovenia, 2004
Albania, 2009
Croatia, 2009
Montenegro, 2017
The Republic of North Macedonia, 2020
Finland, 2023
What is NATO?
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is a "political and military alliance" between the 31 countries listed, and now, Sweden is joining that list.
NATO was formed to deter the expansion of the Soviet Union, stop the renewal of nationalist militarism in Europe and encourage political integration on the continent, according to NATO`s website.
"Every day, member countries consult and take decisions on security issues at all levels and in a variety of fields," according to the website. "A `NATO decision` is the expression of the collective will of all 31 member countries since all decisions are taken by consensus."
Ambassador Julianne Smith has represented the U.S. at NATO since November 2021. (USA TODAY)
