NATO flag . File photoMOSCOW, May 10Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said that the defense capability of the Scandinavian region will be strengthened, and Finland and Sweden will be able to jointly use armed forces if Helsinki and Stockholm decide to join NATO.» There will be an effect from the fact that we will use each other's armed forces… In this way, together we will be stronger. This is what can happen if we choose the path of joining NATO,» Hultkvist said on Swedish Radio. Sweden has long been negative about the idea of joining the North Atlantic Alliance. On Monday, the press secretary of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Sweden, Tobias Baudin, confirmed that a decision on joining NATO would be made on May 15. Finland and Sweden started talking about the possibility of abandoning long-term neutrality and joining NATO against the background of the Russian military operation in Ukraine. The head of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, noted that the alliance would be glad to see Finland and Sweden in its ranks and provide them with the opportunity to quickly join. NATO expects these countries to make their own decisions about possible membership in the coming «months and weeks,» US Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith said. She added that the United States would welcome the accession of these countries to the alliance. Russia has repeatedly noted that NATO is aimed at confrontation. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov stated that further expansion of the alliance would not bring greater security to Europe, NATO has an aggressive character. At the same time, he noted that he did not consider the possible entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO an existential threat to Russia. in NATO
