Post by Carl LaFong on Mar 8, 2024 19:43:42 GMT
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68509301
Almost two years after applying to join Nato, many Swedes say there is palpable relief that the wait to secure membership in the military alliance is finally over.
As Stockholm commuters rushed to work in temperatures of -1C, few were in the mood for a detailed post-mortem of the application process. But many said they already felt safer, just a day after Sweden officially joined Nato, following a document handover in Washington.
"I think it's great, actually. It feels safe, and about time," said 58-year-old Kristina McConnell, who used to work in the military and was on her way to the city centre law firm where she now practised.
Sweden embraced wartime neutrality for more than 200 years, and a decade ago a majority of residents were against joining the multinational military alliance.
But support for membership crept up in the mid-2010s, amidst growing signs of Russian aggression in the region, including reports of spy planes in Baltic airspace and a suspected submarine in Swedish waters.
In early 2022, the country's then Social Democrat government - long opposed to joining Nato - reversed its position, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Sweden swiftly applied for membership.
"Swedes were horrified by Russia's action; they saw their elites rapidly change position on Nato; and they went along with it," explained Nicholas Aylott, a political scientist at Södertörn University and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs…
Almost two years after applying to join Nato, many Swedes say there is palpable relief that the wait to secure membership in the military alliance is finally over.
As Stockholm commuters rushed to work in temperatures of -1C, few were in the mood for a detailed post-mortem of the application process. But many said they already felt safer, just a day after Sweden officially joined Nato, following a document handover in Washington.
"I think it's great, actually. It feels safe, and about time," said 58-year-old Kristina McConnell, who used to work in the military and was on her way to the city centre law firm where she now practised.
Sweden embraced wartime neutrality for more than 200 years, and a decade ago a majority of residents were against joining the multinational military alliance.
But support for membership crept up in the mid-2010s, amidst growing signs of Russian aggression in the region, including reports of spy planes in Baltic airspace and a suspected submarine in Swedish waters.
In early 2022, the country's then Social Democrat government - long opposed to joining Nato - reversed its position, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Sweden swiftly applied for membership.
"Swedes were horrified by Russia's action; they saw their elites rapidly change position on Nato; and they went along with it," explained Nicholas Aylott, a political scientist at Södertörn University and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs…
