Sweden's accession to NATO to raise tensions in region: Opposition
According to the Left Party, Sweden's NATO membership could lead to being drawn into an armed conflict in Ukraine.
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Sweden's accession to NATO raises tensions in the region.
Sweden's NATO membership threatens to escalate tensions in the region, according to Nooshi Dadgostar, the leader of Sweden's opposition Left Party.
"Joining NATO threatens a dangerous escalation in the surrounding areas. Tensions are rising, and the risk of conflict is increasing. This is the wrong way," Dadgostar wrote on her social media.
According to Dadgostar, Sweden's NATO membership could lead to being drawn into an armed conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, the politician argues that the Scandinavian state may be coerced to join in alliance-sponsored wars in which it would prefer not to participate.
Read next: Finland, Sweden to join NATO by summer: The Times
Dadgostar added that by joining the alliance, Sweden might face political pressure and worsen relations between Moscow and Stockholm. According to the lawmaker, if NATO deploys nuclear weapons on Swedish soil, Russia will begin to view Sweden as a threat.
The ruling Swedish Social Democratic Party stated earlier on Sunday that Sweden will try to join NATO. However, the party stated that if the country joins the alliance, it will oppose the establishment of NATO nuclear weapons and military bases on its territory.
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson later said that "the accession to NATO is the best for Sweden and the security of the Swedish people."
Sweden made the news on Sunday, just hours after Finland declared its official decision to join NATO. The decision will be debated in the Finnish parliament on Monday, with a vote scheduled on Tuesday.
Finland, Sweden possible targets if admitted to NATO: Russian envoy
Last Thursday, Sweden and Finland would potentially become targets for the Russian military and force Moscow to take action if they are admitted to NATO, the Russian deputy representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky affirmed on Thursday.
During an interview with the YouTube channel UnHerd, Polyansky considered that “if there are NATO detachments in these territories [Finland and Sweden], these territories will become a possible target for a strike."
Russia will also have to make other military moves in the situation that the two countries join NATO, Polyansky noted, adding that Moscow is ready to face the threat of NATO.
