Sweden formally joins NATO as the transatlantic military alliance’s 32nd member, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment with major powers, as security concerns in Europe escalate following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. US President Joe Biden congratulated Sweden on its admission and said it was a sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intervention in Ukraine has united, rather than divided, the alliance. “When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the Ukrainian people, he thought he could weaken Europe and divide NATO,” Biden said in a statement. “Instead, in May 2022, Sweden and Finland—two of our closest partners, with two highly capable militaries—made the historic decision to apply for full NATO membership,” Biden said. “With today’s addition of Sweden, NATO is more united, determined and dynamic than ever before: it now numbers 32 nations.”
