Sweden will become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) despite opposition from Turkey and Hungary, the chief of the transatlantic military alliance said on Wednesday, in his first interview since Finland became a new member of the group.
"I'm confident that Sweden will become a member [of NATO], not least because all NATO allies, including Turkey, invited Sweden to become a member at our summit in Madrid," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN's Becky Anderson in an interview.
Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, marking a major shift in the security landscape in northeastern Europe that adds some 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) to the alliance’s frontier with Russia.
However, Sweden’s attempt to join the bloc has been stalled by alliance members Turkey and Hungary, as under the accession rules, any member state can veto a new country from joining. Finland’s fold into the alliance also reignited calls from Ukraine to join NATO.
US President Joe Biden's administration announced an additional package of military aid to Ukraine totaling $2.6 billion on Tuesday, as part of a slew of NATO support for the embattled nation. Ukraine has burned through ammunition and weapons faster than the US and NATO can produce it, but Stoltenberg promised to ramp up production to meet further needs.
"This has now become a war of attrition, a war of logistics. We are working closely with the defense industry across the alliance to ramp up production, partly to be able to replenish our own stocks, but also continue to provide support to Ukraine," Stoltenberg added.
"It is Russia that has invaded neighbors ... That is the reason why countries in Europe decide they want to be part of NATO."
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