Sweden officially joins NATO ending neutrality; Greece sends congratulations

Sweden has officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine forced it to overhaul its defence strategy, reported ABC news.

Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias congratulated his Swedish counterpart Paul Johnson on Sweden’s accession to NATO as its 32nd member, in a post on X platform.

“Welcome to an Alliance that is not merely defensive, but also defends values,” Dendias said.

The move means the Nordic country is dropping its long-standing neutrality to become the 32nd member of the alliance following Finland’s accession last year.

It’s a blow for Russian President Vladimir Putin who has sought to prevent any further strengthening of the treaty, and has threatened to take counter measures.