Sweden to officially apply for NATO in June

[A.P. Richelieu]

Surprised to see that Sweden has announced this decision earlier than Finland. I did not think that Swedes have security threat from Putin, but apparently they think otherwise

There is no announcement. Tweets are based on leaks which may or may not be telling the full truth.
Time schedules might slip, enough people may get cold feet.
Certainly Russian behaviour is making it increasingly likely that an application is made.
Their negotiation skills are not very impressive.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

It is amusing to see how hypocritical and duplicitous the West is revealing itself to be. Sweden seems to have had nostalgia on its psyche for it to join NATO. The country's ties to Nazi Germany weren't so far removed from reality, as their profits soared and their Zurich accounts burgeoned during the 1930s.

Meh .... The chickens are coming home to roost and the Truth seems to be gushing out like water from a broken dam.

Surprisingly, the alledged ”Nazi ties” still allowed Sweden to inform the Soviet Union (through British diplomats) about the exact date of Barbarossa and the British were informed about Bismarck and Prinz Eugen leaving port.

I always had a question about joining Nato. as I understand to join you must not have any territorial dispute with other countries.

the question is if somebody bribe Republic of Burundi to declare war on Sweden and claim some island , will it count as ongoing territorial dispute an bar Sweden from joining NATO or it will be laughed at and Sweden will be accepted

NATO wants both Finland and Sweden to join.
If someone creates a fake territorial dispute it is likely to be ignored.
It is also likely that NATO will provide guarantees equivalent with Article 5 announced together with the application.
If some country decides to veto either or both, they have some explaining to do.

 

[Wood]

There is no announcement. Tweets are based on leaks which may or may not be telling the full truth.
Time schedules might slip, enough people may get cold feet.
Certainly Russian behaviour is making it increasingly likely that an application is made.
Their negotiation skills are not very impressive.

In my experience of working with Swedes, the decision making is always with consensus within Swedish teams. This is part of Swedish culture as I understand it. For example, Swedish companies cannot even reorganize without approval from unions. So, such expedient decision on a crucial strategic issue for Sweden is surprising indeed.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

In my experience of working with Swedes, the decision making is always with consensus within Swedish teams. This is part of Swedish culture as I understand it. For example, Swedish companies cannot even reorganize without approval from unions. So, such expedient decision on a crucial strategic issue for Sweden is surprising indeed.

For things like this, there has to be a decision in the parliament.
The different parties have stated their opinion, and the largest opposition party has stated that they would move ahead with an application without consensus, which is very unusual.
There is currently not a majority in favour of applying in the parliament, but if Finland wants to apply, the majority is there as the third largest party wants to join if Finland joins, but not without Finland.
The largest party, the social democrats has been against NATO, but they also want it to be a non-issue in the upcoming September elections.
Everything points towards an application, but there is no decision yet,

 

[BHAN85]

Russia will not retaliate militarily against Finland and Sweden if they join NATO or to be more accurate Russia doesn't have the military capability to retaliate.

both Finland and Sweden are part of the EU common defence treaty or however it's called so an attack on one EU member is considered an attack on all EU members so countries likes Germany, France, Poland etc.. are obliged to defend Finland & Sweden and since most EU members are NATO members a war on Finland and Sweden would quickly drag in the US.

Nonetheless joining NATO was a pretty stupid decision by Finland/Sweden, this dumb move will make a full war between NATO and Russia in the future much more likely, Russia is a big country with massive natural resources, if they feel threatened enough then they can tell their military industrial complex to produce all kinds of weapons at maximum capacity for some years, money won't be an issue in this case because they can mobilize the workforce to produce weapons in exchange for food and with a minimum salary (or even no salary if necessary). They can recruit several million men and train them for a year or so.

In the end I will say this, never underestimate Europe's and the white people's ability to find ways to create destructive conflict on their own continent, even with all the muslim vs muslim conflicts that are happening in the muslim world, it seems like Europe will be the first to win the Darwin award.

Russian has no balls to retaliate, but they have the military caps to retaliate.

The problem of Russia is that Russian elite can't live without Western luxuries.

The problem of Russia is Russian elite and their Western loving luxuries.

They are accepting the West sending weapons to kill Russian soldiers in Ukraine, and they dont dare to attack those shipments in NATO soil, how can be they so coward? They accept the American talk of events, they have no iniciative, they just respond the USA iniciative and the American presentation of events using the same words than enemy, they are ridiculous.

NATO is dead but Russia non-action is supporting the American fantasy narrative that NATO is galvanized, what is a one more of American lies.

e.g.: USA/France/UK will never use nukes to defend another NATO member.

It's dangerous because West Europe politicians really believe those American lies thanks to Russian inaction.

 

[Apollon]

Russian has no balls to retaliate, but they have the military caps to retaliate.

The problem of Russia is that Russian elite can't live without Western luxuries.

The problem of Russia is Russian elite and their Western loving luxuries.

They are accepting the West sending weapons to kill Russian soldiers in Ukraine, and they dont dare to attack those shipments in NATO soil, how can be they so coward? They accept the American talk of events, they have no iniciative, they just respond the USA iniciative and the American presentation of events using the same words than enemy, they are ridiculous.

NATO is dead but Russia non-action is supporting the American fantasy narrative that NATO is galvanized, what is a one more of American lies.

e.g.: USA/France/UK will never use nukes to defend another NATO member.

It's dangerous because West Europe politicians really believe those American lies thanks to Russian inaction.

One does not nees nukes to smash russia like a cockroach. We see in Ukraine how easily russians can be beaten. NATO has far superior military tech. The moment russia attacks NATO , is the moment Russia gets smashed conventional.

 

[nahtanbob]

So many loud and annoying interloper armchair warriors who think they understand the European situation.

You're liable to be stuck holding the weight instead.

of course they understand Europe better than the Europeans

For things like this, there has to be a decision in the parliament.
The different parties have stated their opinion, and the largest opposition party has stated that they would move ahead with an application without consensus, which is very unusual.
There is currently not a majority in favour of applying in the parliament, but if Finland wants to apply, the majority is there as the third largest party wants to join if Finland joins, but not without Finland.
The largest party, the social democrats has been against NATO, but they also want it to be a non-issue in the upcoming September elections.
Everything points towards an application, but there is no decision yet,

Does anything change with Sweden joining NATO ? I always thought Sweden had an understanding with NATO in case of Soviet attack during the cold war.

 

[Hack-Hook]

NATO wants both Finland and Sweden to join.
If someone creates a fake territorial dispute it is likely to be ignored.
It is also likely that NATO will provide guarantees equivalent with Article 5 announced together with the application.
If some country decides to veto either or both, they have some explaining to do.

I can understand why they may want Sweden , it increase military and industrial power of the block. but won't accepting Finland just made problem for them ?

 

[Apollon]

I can understand why they may want Sweden , it increase military and industrial power of the block. but won't accepting Finland just made problem for them ?

Finland is EU member and of course will be accepted in NATO

 

[Vergennes]

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

I can understand why they may want Sweden , it increase military and industrial power of the block. but won't accepting Finland just made problem for them ?

Finland has 500,000 men and one of the stronger artillery in Europe, wise from experience.

 

[Hack-Hook]

Finland has 500,000 men and one of the stronger artillery in Europe, wise from experience.

artillery yes but anything else no. and honestly drones and loitering munition are a lot better than artillery for the role . and beside that , rest of Europe don't lack military. and really is it worth the extra problem it will cause

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Majority of Swedes in favour of joining NATO

Unprecedented 51 percent of Swedes voice support to join the Western military alliance as Russia-Ukraine war rages.

www.aljazeera.com

51%

last year it was 33%

Swedes increasingly in favour of joining NATO

www.euractiv.com

According to the poll, 33% of the respondents were in favour of applying for NATO membership, while 35% of those surveyed opposed it, and about the same amount remained undecided.

 

[jamal18]

Europe will work with usa.

After putin war eu dont have any choice.

Independence from the US is not a bad option.

I think that both in Sweden and Finland there will be no referendum.

The leadership is jumping into Nato.

 

[SecularNationalist]

Because Russia is invading its neighbors over BS reasons. The biggest mastermind of NATO expansion is Putin and surely not the US.

US expansion happened first before Russia started invading it's neighbours.