On Tuesday, 5 July, the ambassadors of the NATO countries signed the Accession Protocol to Sweden and Finland.

This means that Sweden and Finland have the status of officially invited members.

In connection with the meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, the Swedish government was handed a "Letter of intent" signed by Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S).

The letter is a letter of intent from Sweden.

The letter was written on the same day as NATO invited Sweden as a candidate country.

One piece deals with the issue of nuclear weapons and Sweden's loyalty to the NATO defense alliance.

Sweden accepts NATO's approach to security and defense, which includes the crucial role played by nuclear weapons, and intends to participate fully in the planning process for NATO's military structure and collective defense, and is prepared to deploy forces and capabilities for all Alliance missions. "Ann Linde writes to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Here you can read Ann Linde's entire letter

NATO budget

The letter also states the cost Sweden will contribute to NATO's budget.  

"Sweden undertakes to allocate sufficient budgetary resources to be able to implement its commitments in the event of membership in the alliance, and to contribute to NATO's programs for civilian budget, military budget and security investments in accordance with what was discussed during the accession talks and to a cost distribution of 1.9277 percent. ”

This corresponds to 600 to 700 million Swedish kronor, depending on the exchange rate, according to William Alberque at the Institute for Strategic Studies, who saw the letter.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg together with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde after signing the Accession Protocols.

Photo: NATO 5 July 2022

Terrorism

The letter also contains a promise regarding Sweden's work against terrorism, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded of Sweden in his closing remarks at the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June.

However, Turkey is not mentioned by name in the letter.

"Sweden agrees that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, is the most immediate asymmetric and transnational threat to NATO and its peoples, and will do its utmost to combat terrorism with vigor, determination and solidarity," wrote Foreign Minister Ann Linde ( S) the letter.

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Hear William Alberque, director of the prestigious International Institute for Strategic Studies, analyze what Sweden's participation in NATO's nuclear weapons management may look like.

Photo: SVT / USA Air Force