Top Stories
NATO membership would strengthen Nordic defence, Swedish defence minister says
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The Nordic region’s defence capabilities would be strengthened if Sweden and Finland joined NATO, allowing joint defence planning within the framework of the alliance, Sweden’s defence minister told Swedish radio on Tuesday.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The Nordic region’s defence capabilities would be strengthened if Sweden and Finland joined NATO, allowing joint defence planning within the framework of the alliance, Sweden’s defence minister told Swedish radio on Tuesday.
“(If Sweden and Finland join NATO) there will be the effect that we use each others’ strengths and advantages and fully complement each other and also carry out operational planning,” Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist of the ruling Social Democrats said.
“If so, the effect will be that we become stronger together. This is something that can happen if we choose to join NATO,” he told the public broadcaster.
Sweden already has defence agreements with its Nordic neighbours.
The Social Democrats will decide on May 15 whether to drop decades of opposition by the party to NATO membership, a move that would almost certainly lead to Sweden asking to join the 30-nation alliance.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a rethink of security policy in Sweden and Finland. The Finnish president, Sauli Niinisto, is this week expected to announce his support for an application.
Hultqvist, a long-time sceptic towards Swedish NATO membership, declined to say in the interview what his current stance was.
Denmark, Norway and Iceland are already members of NATO.
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom; Editing by Simon Johnson)
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance established in 1949 for mutual defense against aggression. It includes 30 member countries from North America and Europe.
Joint defense planning refers to the collaborative process where multiple countries coordinate their military strategies and resources to enhance collective security and operational effectiveness.
Operational planning involves developing strategies and tactics to achieve specific military objectives, ensuring that forces are prepared and coordinated for effective action.
Military alliances can enhance national security, deter aggression, and promote stability among member nations by providing a framework for cooperation and mutual defense.
Explore more articles in the Top Stories category
