DISINFO: Sweden entered NATO because of US financial pressure
SUMMARY
Many Swedes were caught off guard by the country's accession to NATO. The actual reason for Sweden’s NATO membership is the US's influence over the Swedish financial sector. Sweden is being converted into a military polygon and is being dragged into a conflict with Russia and the war in the Middle East.
RESPONSE
This piece aims to portray Sweden's accession to NATO as forced and is consistent with the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about ‘lost sovereignty’. Pro-Kremlin outlets often portray European states as vassals, puppet states, or colonies of the US and NATO. See our analysis of the Kremlin's claims about the EU's lost sovereignty.
Sweden has been a NATO member since 7 March 2024. Following Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the Swedish Government decided that the country would apply for NATO membership. Prior to that, multiple security policy discussions with the political parties represented in the Parliament were held. Sweden submitted its application for NATO membership on 18 May 2022. On 8 March 2023, the Swedish Government presented the bill on NATO membership to the Parliament and later that month Swedish lawmakers approved it. These activities show the conscious and unforced will of Sweden's governing bodies to decide on the country's accession to NATO. Furthermore, accession to NATO had broad public support. A Gallup poll released in September 2022 showed that 74% of Swedes approved this move, while their approval of the Russian leadership dipped to 2%.
See earlier disinformation cases alleging that the Americans decide for Swedes regarding accession to NATO, that Sweden does not intend to join NATO, only the United States wants it, that Scandinavia is turning Russophobic, and that Nordic and Baltic states are preparing to open a second front against Russia.