Flag of Sweden raised at NATO headquarters, cementing its place as 32nd alliance member

Brussels: Sweden’s national flag was raised at NATO headquarters Monday, cementing the Nordic country’s place as the 32nd member of the alliance two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine persuaded its reluctant public to seek safety under NATO’s security umbrella.

Under a steady rain, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg looked on as two soldiers raised the blue banner emblazoned with a yellow cross among the official circle of national flags at the headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

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Sweden set aside decades of post-World War II neutrality when it formally joined NATO last Thursday. Its neighbour Finland joined last year in another historic move ending years of military nonalignment.

AP