Here's the exact moment when Sweden could officially join Nato
Sweden is expected to join Nato today, with Hungarian foreign minister stepping off his flight to the US early on Thursday morning, carrying his country's ratification documents.
"Only hours to go until Sweden joins Nato," wrote Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijártó on Facebook, posting a picture of himself stepping out of a car at Budapest Airport. "The ratification document is on its way," he added, next to a Swedish flag emoji.
Just after 4am, Swedish time, Szijártó posted another update, saying he had landed in Washington DC.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström flew to Washington on Wednesday, according to a government statement.
The statement mentions only that "bilateral meetings with the American administration and meetings with members of Congress" will take place, but according to a public schedule published by the US State Department, Kristersson and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are set to meet at 11.15am Eastern Time (5.15pm Stockholm time).
It is likely that Kristersson will take that opportunity to present Blinken with Sweden's accession documents.
That will then be the moment when Sweden formally becomes a member of the military alliance.
READ ALSO:
A ceremony to hoist the Swedish flag at the Nato headquarters in Brussels is scheduled for Monday.
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"Only hours to go until Sweden joins Nato," wrote Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijártó on Facebook, posting a picture of himself stepping out of a car at Budapest Airport. "The ratification document is on its way," he added, next to a Swedish flag emoji.
Just after 4am, Swedish time, Szijártó posted another update, saying he had landed in Washington DC.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström flew to Washington on Wednesday, according to a government statement.
The statement mentions only that "bilateral meetings with the American administration and meetings with members of Congress" will take place, but according to a public schedule published by the US State Department, Kristersson and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are set to meet at 11.15am Eastern Time (5.15pm Stockholm time).
It is likely that Kristersson will take that opportunity to present Blinken with Sweden's accession documents.
That will then be the moment when Sweden formally becomes a member of the military alliance.
READ ALSO:
A ceremony to hoist the Swedish flag at the Nato headquarters in Brussels is scheduled for Monday.
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