Anderson does not rule out Sweden's bid for NATO membership
The Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson He said today that he did not rule out NATO membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although he had so far said he wanted Sweden to be outside all military alliances.
"By no means do I rule out NATO membership," Anderson told SVT.
- I want to make a comprehensive analysis of the opportunities we have in this situation of threats and risks to make the best decision for Sweden, said the Prime Minister who is from the ranks of the Social Democrats.
Sweden is not a member of NATO, although it is a partner of the North Atlantic Alliance and has given up its strict neutrality after the end of the Cold War.
On the day of the invasion of Ukraine, February 24, Magdalena Anderson ruled out membership, saying "in this situation, it is important that Sweden maintains its current direction in security policy."
In Sweden, the war in Ukraine caused an unusual increase in support for NATO membership by almost 50 percent, according to opinion polls released in early March.
"A lot of people in Sweden are thinking about it right now, and I'm thinking about it a lot," Anderson said. That issue could be one of the main themes of the campaign for the next parliamentary elections scheduled for September 11.