Sweden is at the end of its long historical neutrality!

Thursday, June 22, 2023. American strategic bombers a few kilometers from Russian lands!

Sweden has received for the first time in its history American strategic bombers for military schools, the Swedish Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday.

On June 19, 2023, two American B-1B Lancer strategic bombers landed at Luleå-Kallax Airport in the northern part of the Nordic country.

"We are conducting a joint exercise" with the participation of ground and air forces, Louise Levin, a representative of the Air Force, explained to AFP, without specifying its duration.

"In this uncertain time and with the prospect of joining NATO, strong partners are essential," according to a statement from the Swedish Ministry of Defense, which hailed the "historic event."

Although it has secured "invited" status from June 2022, Sweden is still waiting to see its accession protocols ratified by two of the 31 member states of the Atlantic Alliance: Turkey and Hungary.

Only full members enjoy the protection of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization treaty, which provides that an attack against a member state is considered an attack against all.

From the West, especially the US, the pressure on Ankara to give the green light intensifies.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken mentioned the issue yesterday, Wednesday, in his meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, on the sidelines of a conference in London on the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Mr. Blinken "stressed the importance of NATO unity at this critical time and encouraged Turkey to support Sweden to join the alliance now," according to a terse briefing note released by State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Turkey has blocked Sweden's admission to NATO for thirteen months, accusing it of tolerating the Kurdish separatists it hosts on its territory.

In early June 2023, Stockholm declared its willingness to host temporary alliance bases on its territory before its formal accession.

"The government has decided that the armed forces can make preparations together with NATO and its member countries for (...) future joint operations," Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson said in an article co-signed by Defense Minister Paul Jonsson.

Mr. Christerson sees the presence of NATO troops as a deterrent to Russia.

 On Monday, a committee of politicians and experts decided that the possibility of a Russian attack on Sweden "cannot be ruled out after the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

And all this while, it has not yet become an official member of NATO!

Sweden owes its wealth and development to the fact that it did not participate in either the First or the Second World Wars.

Which other "traditionally" Neutral country will follow?

 Will it be Switzerland?

@world.war.3.2023