NATO MEMBERSHIP TO BE DECIDED BY SWEDEN ON MONDAY: REPORT

Thu 12 May 2022:

Following Finland’s leaders’ announcement supporting the country’s NATO application, Sweden’s decision on NATO membership might be made on May 16, according to the Expressen newspaper.

According to the newspaper, Sweden’s parliament will consider the security situation on Monday, after which Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will hold a special meeting to take the formal decision to apply.

Meanwhile, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said that because Finland is “Sweden’s closest security and defense partner,” they need to take Finland’s assessments.

“Sweden will decide after the report from the security policy consultations has been presented,” she said on Twitter.

In a joint statement earlier in the day, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced their intention to seek NATO membership “without delay,” defying Russia’s warning that they do not want another alliance member at their borders.

Russia has long warned against Finland and Sweden joining NATO, and the public and leaders in both countries were largely opposed until Feb. 24, when Russia started its war on Ukraine. Then the tide turned.

Moscow constantly warned of the “threat” of Ukraine joining NATO when it launched its attack on the country, despite the fact that the country’s NATO membership process had only barely begun.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent