Swedes cheer end of long wait to join Nato - BBC News

Many in the Nordic country say they feel safer despite growing tensions between the military alliance and Russia.

3 days agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage caption, Wilma: "If Russia were to attack us... then we have several countries backing us up"By Maddy SavageStockholmAlmost two years after applying to join Nato, many Swedes say there is palpable relief that the wait to secure membership in the military alliance is finally over.

As Stockholm commuters rushed to work in temperatures of -1C, few were in the mood for a detailed post-mortem of the application process. But many said they already felt safer, just a day after Sweden officially joined Nato, following a document handover in Washington.

"I think it's great, actually. It feels safe, and about time," said 58-year-old Kristina McConnell, who used to work in the military and was on her way to the city centre law firm where she now practised.

Sweden embraced wartime neutrality for more than 200 years, and a decade ago a majority of residents were against joining the multinational military alliance.

But support for membership crept up in the mid-2010s, amidst growing signs of Russian aggression in the region, including reports of spy planes in Baltic airspace and a suspected submarine in Swedish waters.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68509301

---