By Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed Sweden becoming NATO's 32nd member, hailing the “historic” addition to the alliance.
“NATO stands more united, determined, and dynamic than ever” with the addition of Sweden, he said.
“When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could weaken Europe and divide NATO. Instead, in May 2022, Sweden and Finland—two of our close partners, with two highly capable militaries—made the historic decision to apply for full NATO membership,” Biden said in a statement.
“Today, we once more reaffirm that our shared democratic values—and our willingness to stand up for them—is what makes NATO the greatest military alliance in the history of the world,” he said. “It is what draws nations to our cause. It is what underpins our unity.”
Noting that NATO will continue to stand for “freedom and democracy for generations to come,” Biden said, “I look forward to hosting all 32 Allies for the 75th Anniversary NATO Summit this summer in Washington D.C.”
Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in May 2022, abandoning their longstanding non-alignment policies, a decision spurred by Russia's war against Ukraine.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer (832-mile) border with Russia, became a member on April 4, 2023, becoming the 31st.
Sweden completed its membership procedures after Hungary became the last NATO member to ratify the country's membership last week, and instruments of ratification were sent Thursday to Washington. Türkiye approved Sweden's application in January.
Sweden’s flag will be raised alongside the other 31 members in a ceremony Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels to mark the accession.