New Delhi: A day after Finland formally announced its decision to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Sweden too has followed suit and declared to join the 30-member Western military alliance, reported news agency AFP.
The announcement was made by Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on Monday. "The government has decided to inform NATO that Sweden wants to become a member of the alliance. Sweden's NATO ambassador will shortly inform NATO," Andersson said.
Despite Russia’s demands to noy join the military alliance, both the European nations decided to join NATO.
On Sunday, Finnish President Sauli Niinitso and Prime Minister Sanna Marin, in a joint press conference, at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki announced that Finland will join NATO.
‘Another Grave Mistake’ Says Russia
Moscow on Monday slammed both the European nations for joining NATO warning that Finland and Sweden’s decision to join the military alliance was a serious mistake and that it would take measures against it, reported the news agency.
“This is another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, adding that “the general level of military tensions will increase.”
"It is a pity that common sense is being sacrificed for some phantom ideas about what should be done in the current situation," he added.
He also said that the two countries “should have no illusions that we will just put up with this.”