"Swedish Prime Minister Defies Russian Warnings, Officially Joins NATO in DC Visit"

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom are set to visit Washington to finalize Sweden's NATO membership, making it the 32nd member of the alliance. Despite warnings from Russia, Sweden's decision to join NATO comes after years of neutrality and avoiding military alliances. As a NATO member, Sweden will benefit from the alliance's common defense guarantee and play a crucial role in the Baltic region. Russia has expressed opposition and announced unspecified countermeasures in response to Sweden's NATO membership, which was delayed by Turkey and Hungary but is now expected to be completed after Hungary's president formally signed the approval bill.