Sweden joins NATO as 32nd member completing Nordic alliance expansion triggered by Ukraine invasion

Sweden officially becomes the 32nd member of NATO, completing the historic Nordic expansion of the alliance triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hands Sweden's accession documents to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Sweden's membership is confirmed on the same day as Biden's 2024 State of the Union address, where Kristersson attends as a guest. Sweden had maintained military non-alignment since the Napoleonic era. Together with Finland's accession in April 2023, NATO has added more than 1,300 miles of new border with Russia and two of the most capable militaries in Europe.