King Carl Gustaf on Sweden joining NATO: “A new era in security policy has begun”

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden attended an event outside the Swedish parliament to mark his country joining NATO.

The King was outside the Riksdag with the Riksdag Speaker and the Swedish Prime Minister to celebrate Sweden becoming part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

His Majesty was on hand to see the NATO flag raised outside the Riksdag building as the NATO anthem played.

Magnus Liljegren/Regeringskansliet

King Carl Gustaf also addressed government officials and NATO representatives where he remarked on Sweden leaving neutrality and joining NATO.

He said: “We have now left the military freedom of alliance that was founded under Karl XIV Johan behind us.

“The decision on NATO membership is made in accordance with our constitutions. It is taken by a broad majority of our elected representatives.”

King Carl Gustaf later attended a ceremony at Karlberg Palace to mark Sweden joining NATO, where again the NATO flag was raised outside the building.

Just last week, Crown Princess Victoria represented her father in Brussels as Sweden’s flag was raised at NATO Headquarters.

Magnus Liljegren/Regeringskansliet

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been against NATO growing and issued threats if Finland and Sweden joined the organisation, which they both now have. In what appeared to be a statement directed at that threat, the King said: “A new era in security policy has begun.”

NATO Article 5 indicates that if one member of the alliance is attacked, the other members of the organisation will defend their ally who was attacked. With Sweden now part of NATO, they now have the security of that alliance to fall back on.