Russia's war on Ukraine spurs push for NATO membership in neutral Sweden

Support for joining NATO has surged to a record level in Sweden since Russia launched its war on Ukraine, a clear indication of a profoundly changing outlook in a country known for neutrality in global military conflicts.

A poll recently commissioned by public broadcaster SVT showed that, for the first time, some 49% of Swedes are in favor of joining the Western military bloc.

The Russia-Ukraine war has already seen Sweden break with its longstanding policy of not supplying weapons to countries engaged in active conflicts.

In a first since 1939, when it supported Finland against the Soviet Union, the Swedish government has pledged to provide Kyiv 5,000 anti-tank weapons, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 135,000 field rations, along with a fund of 500 million Swedish krona ($52.9 million) for the Ukrainian army.

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s government also joined European countries in banning Russian aircraft from Swedish airspace.

The figure for Swedes in favor of NATO membership was around 25% before the start of the war, with a growing fear of Russian aggression believed to be the cause of the significant jump.

People like Anders Angsvik, a Swedish academic and artist, feel the Nordic country has lived in the shadow of the Russian threat and pushed off its NATO membership for far too long.

“There is always a chance that the Russians will start a war in this region. We don’t have the troops or military strength to counter the Russians, which is why we have to be a NATO member,” said Angsvik, whose mother fled to Sweden from Finland during the war with the Soviets.

Vlado Radakovic, a businessman, echoed Angsvik’s views and stressed that joining NATO is the only way for Swedes to “feel safe.”

“Swedes do not want a war, neither in Europe nor in their own country. The only way our people will feel safe is if Sweden joins NATO,” he said.

However, the Swedish population has never had a clear majority in favor of joining the Western military bloc, and there are always opposing views on the matter in the country.

Ella Namngivna, a student, urged the government and people to tread carefully on the issue of NATO membership.

She disagreed with the notion that entry into NATO would make the country safer, arguing that such a move “would make Sweden a direct target for Russian aggression.”

- ‘No rush’

Despite the apparent swing in public sentiment, the Swedish government has emphasized that there will be no overnight decisions on the issue.

Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist recently told daily Aftonbladet that Sweden was in “no rush to join the alliance.”

Discussion on the matter will continue, he said, emphasizing that decisions will not be taken based solely on public opinion polls.

Prime Minister Andersson has, for the most part, avoided any overt statements on NATO membership.

On her visit to Helsinki this past weekend, she announced enhanced military cooperation with neighbor and fellow Nordic neutral Finland, while batting away questions about the Western military alliance.

To a query about a referendum on the issue, Andersson said that would not be “necessarily the best way” to decide Sweden’s future course.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly acknowledged the bloc’s close cooperation with Stockholm, but also clarified that it could not guarantee full security in the event of an attack since Sweden is not a member of the alliance.