Why Sweden Joined NATO: The Impact of Russia’s Invasion on European Security | GNSI Video Series

Why did Sweden, a historically neutral country, decide to join NATO in response to Russian aggression? This significant shift in Swedish defense policy was driven by the growing threat from Russia’s military actions, particularly the invasion of Ukraine, and broader instability in Europe. After decades of military neutrality, Sweden reassessed its security strategy and chose NATO membership to enhance its defense capabilities and contribute to European security.

In this episode of the GNSI Video Series, Johan Norberg, M.Sc., Deputy Research Director at the Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), offers insights into Sweden’s evolving defense policy and relationship with NATO. He discusses the historical context of Sweden’s neutrality, the impact of Russia’s military aggression, and the strategic considerations that led Sweden to move towards NATO membership. The conversation also touches on hybrid warfare, where traditional military threats blur with non-traditional tactics, and how this influenced Sweden’s approach to national security. Johan also highlights the cultural shift from peacetime to wartime modes of thinking, noting how Europe has spent the last 80 years in a peacetime paradigm, which now has to shift as Sweden, like the rest of Europe, must act quickly in response to the growing military threats.
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