Historic day: Sweden officially says yes to NATO membership

[Debithius 6,056]

Sweden will jettison 200 years of neutrality and apply to join Nato alongside its neighbour Finland, a move that would change the geopolitics of Europe and present a huge unintended consequence of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

In a momentous day for the Nordic nations, Finland’s president and prime minister said on Sunday that they would apply for Nato membership in the coming days, while the ruling Social Democrats in Sweden broke with tradition and said they would follow suit.

“This is a historic day. A new era starts,” Finnish president Sauli Niinistö said at a press conference, as Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, another non-Nato member that shares a border with Russia, upturned decades of security thinking in Helsinki.

Finland’s prime minister Sanna Marin said: “We cannot trust any more that there will be a peaceful future next to Russia on our own. That’s why we’re making the decision to join Nato: it’s an act of peace, to make sure there will never again be a war in Finland in the future.”

Announcing the decision, Sweden’s Social Democrats said they would express their reservations against the deployment of nuclear weapons and foreign bases on their soil in their application. Finland said it would not pose any conditions.

Finnish and Swedish membership of Nato would be one of the most important and far-reaching consequences of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and public opinion in the countries has swung massively in favour of such a move since February.

Their potential accession would transform the security situation in northern Europe and make it easier for the alliance to defend the Baltic countries. It would also more than double the length of Nato’s border with Russia, which has threatened “serious military and political consequences” should either country join the alliance.

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sources:

https://www.ft.com/content/f938ee66-3130-47e9-a911-8f7177e58521

https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/5G7G0e/historiska-beskedet-socialdemokraterna-sager-ja-till-nato

[Economy 52,842]

Putin is truly getting the reverse of what he wanted. This war truly backfired on him

[Debithius 6,056]

Just now, Economy said:

Putin is truly getting the reverse of what he wanted. This war truly backfired on him

Yeah he really screwed up.... especially a country like Sweden who has been strongly against a NATO membership for decades just decided to join in only two months.

[Roughhouse Dandy 13,600]

I wonder if this is what's going to break Putin. This seems to be the kind of action that will either make him give up or escalate the situation and make it everyone's problem. 🤔 

[Nathan 2,079]

11 minutes ago, Roughhouse Dandy said:

I wonder if this is what's going to break Putin. This seems to be the kind of action that will either make him give up or escalate the situation and make it everyone's problem. 🤔 

It’s already everyone’s problem 

[Roughhouse Dandy 13,600]

2 hours ago, Nathan said:

It’s already everyone’s problem 

I see what you're trying to say, and I agree, but there are many countries that are simply not involved and unaffected at the moment. I was referring to his threats of going nuclear where it will *actually* matter to everyone. 

[PartySick 172,429]

2 hours ago, Roughhouse Dandy said:

I wonder if this is what's going to break Putin. This seems to be the kind of action that will either make him give up or escalate the situation and make it everyone's problem. 🤔 

I read an article yesterday saying Ukrainian intelligence is aware of an "unstoppable" coup that's going to overthrow Puta who himself is unwell, physically and psychologically

I hope whichever oligarch takes his place is more willing to work with his neighbors instead of invading and threatening them

[Roughhouse Dandy 13,600]

51 minutes ago, PartySick said:

I read an article yesterday saying Ukrainian intelligence is aware of an "unstoppable" coup that's going to overthrow Puta who himself is unwell, physically and psychologically

I hope whichever oligarch takes his place is more willing to work with his neighbors instead of invading and threatening them

Ooh that'd be a festive turn of events. Yeah, hopefully someone halfway decent is able to take him out (politically only ofc 👀👀👀) before the supposed blood cancer can work its magic.