NATO is a transatlantic military alliance composed of the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries to maintain security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region. NATO currently has 31 member states, the newest of which is Finland, which officially "joined" the treaty in April last year.
Before Finland, Sweden, another Nordic country, also applied to join NATO, but it was blocked by Hungary and Turkey and has not been approved by all member states. It was only in January of this year that Turkey agreed to Sweden's application, while Hungary kept delaying and demanded that Sweden stop "vilifying" Hungary**.
However, after a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson, the two sides clarified "mutual goodwill" and reached a military cooperation agreement, whereby Hungary purchased four Swedish-made fighter jets. Against this background, Hungary's Schuyuk finally signed a bill approving Sweden's accession to NATO on March 5, removing the last obstacle to Sweden's accession.
According to reports, Sweden will next be invited to join the Washington Treaty and officially become the 32nd member of NATO. This is a major step forward for both Sweden and NATO, as well as a check on Russia. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sweden and Finland have abandoned 200 years of military neutrality and instead sought to join NATO to improve their own security. Sweden's accession to NATO will contribute to stability in the Euro-Atlantic region and will also strengthen NATO's military capabilities and cohesion, the Swedish Defense Minister said.
The news of Sweden's accession to NATO has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad, with some supporting and some opposing. Supporters believe that Sweden's accession to NATO is in line with the trend of the times, a necessary measure to protect its own interests, and a deterrent to Russia. Opponents believe that Sweden's accession to NATO is against the will of the people, sacrificing national sovereignty and neutrality, and aggravating regional tension and confrontation.