Swedes say 'too many sacrifices' made for NATO bid: Poll
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According to the head of research at Indikator, the findings demonstrate that Swedes regard the NATO process as a "complicated issue".
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Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson speaks during a press conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (right) at the Swedish government headquarters in Stockholm, on October 24, 2023. (AP)
According to a study issued on Friday, the majority of Swedes feel their nation paid "too many sacrifices" to join NATO, but they agree that Sweden's security would be better.
Sweden is on pace to become the military alliance's 32nd member in the coming days, after the Hungarian parliament on Monday voted to approve Sweden's bid to join the NATO alliance.
Sweden's interest in joining NATO has been a topic of discussion and consideration for several decades. In 1994, Sweden formally submitted its application to join NATO's Partnership for Peace program. Following the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, Sweden formally applied to join the alliance on May 18, 2022. Then, on July 5, 2022, NATO signed the accession protocol for Sweden to join.
According to a study done by analyst firm Indikator for Swedish broadcaster SR, 55% of Swedes feel that the Scandinavian country "has made too many sacrifices to join NATO," even though 77% agree that the country's "security is strengthened" by its participation.
A total of 2,413 persons participated in the survey, which did not ask questions concerning the types of sacrifices that respondents objected to.
According to Per Oleskog Tryggvason, head of research at Indikator, the findings demonstrate that Swedes regard the NATO process as a "complicated issue".
"The opinion that Sweden's security is strengthened by NATO membership, for that there is an overwhelming consensus. But you can see that the road there has not been straightforward," Tryggvason remarked.
Sweden's application was chiefly opposed by Turkey, which accused the Nordic nation of providing a safe haven for hundreds of people it thinks are related to the failed 2016 coup attempt.
Russia to respond with measures to Sweden's accession to NATO: Embassy
The Russian Embassy in Sweden announced Tuesday that Russia will undertake measures to counter threats to its national security following Sweden's NATO accession.
"Russia will take political and military-technical response measures to counter threats to its national security. Their specific content will depend on the conditions and scale of Sweden's integration into NATO, including the possible deployment of NATO contingents, strike systems, and weapons on the country's territory," the embassy said on Telegram.
The Russian mission stated that Sweden's accession to NATO would adversely impact the stability level in Northern Europe. The statement affirmed that despite assertions from Sweden's future "NATO relatives", the Baltic Sea will never be deemed an "internal NATO sea."
In recent years, Russia has observed unprecedented NATO activity near its western borders, prompting repeated expressions of concern from Moscow about the alliance's force buildup in Europe. The Russian Foreign Ministry has emphasized its willingness to engage in dialogue with NATO on equal terms while urging the West to refrain from further "militarizing the continent."
