With the Hungarian Parliament voting to ratify Sweden's application to join NATO, the Scandinavian country is set to join 31 other countries in the alliance.
After nearly two years of negotiations, Sweden is following in the footsteps of Finland, which was accepted into NATO last year. The two countries applied to join at the same time in May 2022, but Hungary and Turkey objected to Sweden's accession.
The Nordic country's accession to NATO was temporarily halted due to Turkey's opposition, but the country eventually agreed to support Sweden's attempt to join the organization, according to the American “space” website. Associated Press.
The final hurdle for Sweden came on Monday, when Hungary finally voted to allow it to join NATO
Why didn't Turkey or Hungary want Sweden to join NATO?
Turkey has previously cited Sweden's support for Kurdish separatist groups and restrictions on arms exports from the country as reasons it has reservations about joining.
On the other hand, Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, is a right-wing nationalist who has established close ties with Russia. The country has cited Swedish politicians' criticism of Hungarian democracy as damaging relations between the two countries, resulting in lawmakers in Orban's party, Fidesz, being reluctant to support Sweden's request.
Can Sweden join NATO without Hungary's permission?
no. All NATO members must give their consent before another country can join, according to the Associated Press.
Why is Sweden joining the big deal?
According to reports by USA TODAY and AP, here are some reasons:
- They were denied entry for more than two years
- Sweden remained outside military alliances for a period more 200 yearsBut the Russian invasion of Ukraine changed that. While Sweden does not border Russia, it is very close to it.
- Russia has opposed NATO expansion and has threatened to retaliate if NATO attempts to establish military infrastructure in Sweden or Finland, which border Russia.
Who are the members of NATO?
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
- Türkiye, 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
- Republic of North Macedonia, 2020
- Finland, 2023
What is NATO?
NATO means 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 Soviet expansionism, halt renewed militarism and nationalism in Europe, and encourage political integration on the continent. According to the NATO website.
“Every day, member states consult and make decisions on security issues at all levels and in a variety of areas,” the website states. “NATO Decision” is an expression of the collective will of all 31 member states, where all decisions are made consensus“.
Ambassador Julianne Smith He represents the United States in NATO since November 2021.
Contributing: Janet Lohrke, Georg Petras and Kim Helmgaard; USA Today
Julia is a feature reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to technology and pop culture.
You can follow it X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram And Tik Tok: @juliamariegz.
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