Sweden also developed significant technological capacity with the new Gripen E submarines and war planes.
Its air force now has over 70 Swedish-made-and-designed multirole combat jets. And 60 of the new Gripen are rolling out in the coming months.
Sweden’s move towards NATO not only reflects its commitment to collective security but also underscores a broader realignment in global geopolitics.
Sweden Joined NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)is an intergovernmental military alliance of 32 member countries. Thirty are in Europe, and two are in North America.
Finland which shares a border with Russia on one side and Sweden on the other joined NATO in 2023. And the Baltic Sea region is now a consolidation of Western military presence, aimed at maintaining stability along NATO’s eastern flank.
Sweden’s journey towards NATO membership has been characterized by deliberation and strategic reassessment.
Regional Security
Following Russia’s Ukraine aggression there was a sense of urgency among Swedish policymakers to make sure the country was secure. Sweden’s formal application for NATO membership was filed in May 2022.
