Vladimir Putin has suffered a major setback in the ongoing fierce war with Ukraine.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) became stronger in comparison to Russia on Thursday when Sweden took entry into the organization. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been aggressive against NATO from the beginning.
Ukraine has also been trying to join NATO in 2022 following the Russian attack. On the other hand, since the crisis in Ukraine, NATO has also increased its efforts to strengthen itself and is continuously adding new members.
So far 32 countries have joined NATO.
Sweden had been trying to join NATO for the last two years. Especially, after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Sweden intensified its efforts to join NATO.
Experts in the matter say that he feared a threat to his sovereignty like Ukraine.
NATO i.e. North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949 by 12 countries including America, Britain, Canada and France. Its purpose was to stop the expansion of the Soviet Union – a group of communist states that included Russia.
After Sweden’s joining on Thursday, 32 countries have now joined NATO. Earlier in 2023, Finland had become the 31st member of NATO.
What is the purpose of NATO?
Member countries that join NATO agree that if one of them is attacked, the others should help defend it.
It is worth noting here that NATO does not have any army of its own, but member countries can take collective military action in response to a crisis.
They also conduct joint military exercises. NATO became active after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022. He considers Russia “the most significant and direct threat to the security of our allies.”
How did NATO become stronger with the arrival of Sweden?
Sweden has expressed its desire to join NATO from 17 May 2022. Swedish officials, led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, gathered in Washington on Thursday.
Where he was invited to watch US President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address this evening.
In a press release, the White House said, “Sweden is a strong democracy with tremendous military capability that shares our values and vision for the world.
“Having Sweden as a NATO ally makes the United States and our allies stronger.” A ceremony to formally mark Sweden’s accession is scheduled for Monday at the coalition headquarters in Brussels.
What a big blow to Russia
Before Sweden, its neighboring country Finland joined NATO in 2023. After first Finland and now Sweden joining NATO, almost the entire Baltic Sea is controlled by NATO, which is a strategic blow to Russia.
Sweden also has a well-equipped army and a strong arms industry.
Which countries are in NATO?
NATO has 31 members across Europe and North America, including the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey. Now Sweden has taken membership of NATO as the 32nd country.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, several Eastern European countries joined NATO, including Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.