If Sweden joins NATO, it will make the alliance “better defend itself”, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in opening remarks before a bilateral meeting with Swedish Defense Minister Peter. Hultqvist at the Pentagon on Wednesday.
“Your capabilities are modern, relevant and important, and your joining the alliance will help us all better protect ourselves. And of course, that’s especially important at this crucial time,” Austin said, as the war in Ukraine continued.
Austin added: “The United States strongly supports Sweden’s application to join NATO.
Austin thanked Sweden for helping Ukraine during the past two and a half months of the war.
“Sweden has joined the United States and our allies and partners in rushing to provide much-needed security and humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s brave people,” Austin said. “Your leadership has helped bring new resolve and determination to the Swedish defense and security establishment.”
Sweden has decided Officially applied to NATO to become a member this week, along with Finland.
Hultqvist said Russia’s war in Ukraine posed a “long-term threat to European security” and called it “the moment when the democracies of Europe and North America must come together to resist aggression.” naked Russian”.
While the US and Sweden have cooperated militarily, Hultqvist says “things have changed” because of the Russian invasion.
“We did a lot of things together to create the interoperability to exercise together and develop relationships between our armed forces,” says Hultqvist. “From our point of view, we see that as what has brought stability to our European region, but the war in Ukraine is a reality and everything has changed.”
Hultqvist called Sweden’s decision to join NATO “a demonstration of our commitment to transatlantic security and transatlantic cooperation.”
Hultqvist added: “In aligning our security more closely with that of the United States and other countries, we are exercising our right of choice in providing security for ourselves.
US President Joe Biden on Thursday will host the Prime Minister of Sweden and The President of Finland arrives at the White House in an important support program.
Leaders are expected to discuss Finnish and Swedish NATO applications, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Europe supports Ukraine and its security in the face of Russia’s aggression.
