In response to a post by the Russian embassy in Stockholm on the subject of joining NATO, the Swedish foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador on Wednesday. The diplomatic mission said on its website that if Sweden were to join NATO, it would become a "legitimate target for Russian retaliation."
Foreign Minister Tobias Billström criticized that this was an "obvious attempt to exert influence". The country's security policy is determined by its government and no one else, Billström told the TT news agency. It was unclear when the Russian ambassador would appear at the Foreign Ministry.
In a departure from decades of neutrality, Sweden and neighboring Finland jointly applied to join NATO in May. The move was in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Sweden's inclusion in the military alliance still depends on Hungary and Turkey. Ankara accuses the Swedes of not taking decisive action against Kurdish groups that Turkey classifies as terrorist organizations.
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