After 200 Years of Neutrality, Sweden Weighs Joining NATO

In a major recalculation of its security posture precipitated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden is relearning how to be a military power. And pulled along by its strategic partner, Finland, it is about to apply to join NATO, ending more than 200 years of neutrality and military nonalignment.

Col. Magnus Frykvall has a clear view of this mission to rebuild Sweden’s defenses. He is the new commander of the regiment in Gotland, a strategic island in the Baltic Sea. Sweden is trying to increase the regiment's size from 400 to 4,000 — still a far cry from the 25,000 that served here during the Cold War.

“If you own Gotland, you can control sea and air movement in the whole of the south Baltics,” he said.

To join NATO is a political decision, Colonel Frykvall said, but he favors it. “Cooperation is one thing, but an alliance is something else,” he said. “An alliance means you have guarantees.” Read more

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