US promises security guarantees if Sweden applies to NATO
Sweden says it has received security guarantees from America during Stockholm’s application to join NATO.
Reuters quoted the Foreign Minister Switzerland Ann Linde said in Washington DC on May 4 that the US had promised to provide security assistance during Sweden’s application to join NATO. The application will be reviewed by 30 countries in the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Sweden and neighboring Finland are neutral and are not members of NATO, which was created in 1949 to confront the Soviet Union. However, Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and launched a military operation in Ukraine at the end of February 2022, causing these two countries to rethink their security policies and consider the possibility of becoming a member. NATO member.
Both Sweden and Finland are concerned that there will be a vulnerability in the registration process, which can take up to a year to be approved by all NATO members.
“Of course, I won’t go into any details, but I feel very certain that now we have the American guarantee,” Foreign Minister Linde told Swedish TV from Washington after the meeting. meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “However, there are not specific security guarantees, which can only be obtained with full membership of NATO,” she added.
Foreign Minister Linde declined to say what assurances she received from her US counterpart Blinken. “America will not let Russia take any negative action against Sweden or threaten Sweden, without any response,” Foreign Minister Linde said.
According to a State Department statement released after the meeting, Secretary of State Blinken reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to NATO’s policy of welcoming new members, but made no mention of security guarantees.
Last month, Sweden’s defense minister said that Stockholm’s application to join NATO could provoke a number of reactions from Russia, including cyber attacks and combined measures – such as military operations. propaganda – aimed at undermining Swedish security.
Moscow has warned that it could deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles in Europe’s Kaliningrad region if Sweden and Finland become NATO members.
Foreign Minister Linde said the United States strongly supports Sweden and Finland becoming members of NATO, which will enhance stability in the Baltic and Arctic regions.
This month, both Sweden and Finland are expected to make a decision on whether to apply for accession NATO or not.
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