Sweden’s NATO accession ends era of go-it-alone security

Sweden’s final hurdle to joining NATO was swept away on Monday after hold-out Hungary’s ratification, ending 200 years during which Stockholm’s military
self-reliance helped it build a global brand as neutral peacemaker and human rights champion.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 left Swedes with a pivotal choice: join NATO or run the risk of standing alone against an increasingly aggressive near neighbour.
NATO membership might seem uncontroversial, but some Swedes worry it signals a fundamental shift in identity.
“Sweden’s historically strong voice on the issues of peace and disarmament seems to be going silent,” said Kerstin Bergea, chairperson of the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, a prominent peace movement since 1883.
“The cause of peace has been part of our DNA,” she added.