Under a heavy, rain-soaked Belgian sky, Sweden’s flag was raised Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels to formally mark its new status as a full member of the western military alliance.
The event was witnessed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who led a delegation in Brussels that included cabinet ministers, Sweden’s military commander-in-chief and the nation’s Crown Princess Victoria.
Joining NATO was the “only reasonable choice” after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kristersson said in prepared remarks delivered in front of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“After more than 200 years of military non-alignment, this is a historic step. But also, a very natural
