Holmquist: NATO Membership Will Enhance Northern Europe's Defense

Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist stated, according to Reuters, that "the defense capabilities of the Nordic region will be strengthened if Sweden and Finland join NATO, allowing for joint defense planning within the alliance." He added, "(If Sweden and Finland joined the alliance) there will be an impact on our use of each other's strengths and advantages, fully complementing each other and also executing operational planning." He continued, "If that happens, the effect is that we will become stronger together. This is something that could happen if we choose to join NATO." The Social Democratic Party will decide on May 15 whether to abandon its long-standing opposition to NATO membership, a step that would certainly lead to Sweden requesting to join the 30-member alliance.