Sweden has recently become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a development that U.S. Department of State (DOS) Secretary Antony Blinken took to social media to celebrate. This news followed closely on the heels of his meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

"Sweden has joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and U.S. Department of State (DOS) Secretary of State Antony Blinken took to X to celebrate. The announcement came on the heels of his meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson," said Blinken, according to X.

According to a DOS news release, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström joined Blinken and Kristersson at the meeting where they deposited an instrument of accession to NATO. The recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia prompted Sweden to reconsider its neutral strategy and join forces with NATO countries, thus becoming its 32nd member.

"There’s also no clearer example than today of the strategic debacle that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has become for Russia," said Blinken. "We see a Russia that is now weaker militarily, economically, diplomatically. Its standing in Ukraine has changed dramatically, whereas before 2014 – the first invasion – people were open to positive relations with Russia; now, virtually the entire society – and not just today; probably for generations – has turned against Russia because of its aggression. And fundamentally our alliance is now, as I said, both larger and stronger than it’s ever been. And we see again and again and again that everything Putin sought to prevent, he’s actually precipitated by his actions, by his aggression; and there’s no clearer example of that than Sweden becoming a member of this alliance."

Blinken further added that "good things come to those who wait" in reference to decades of neutrality by Sweden and stated that NATO was now stronger than ever.

President Joe Biden also spoke about this during his State of the Union speech. "America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War II to prevent war and keep the peace," said Biden. "Today, we’ve made NATO stronger than ever. We welcomed Finland to the alliance last year, and just this morning, Sweden officially joined NATO, and their prime minister is here tonight. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to NATO, the strongest military alliance the world has ever known."