NATO's Potential Strength Will Increase with the Joining of Sweden, Russia Strengthens Its Military in the North and West

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu chaired a coordination meeting of military officials. (Wikimedia Commons/mil.ru/Ministry of Defense)

JAKARTA - Russia is strengthening its military presence in areas bordering the territories of European Union and NATO member countries, in line with the increasing military potential of Allies as Sweden gets closer to becoming the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday it had strengthened its military forces in the north and west, in response to what Moscow sees as a NATO troop buildup near Russia.

"Against the background of increasing NATO's military potential near Russia's borders, the expansion of the alliance through the accession of Finland and, in the future, Sweden, we have taken steps to strengthen the grouping of troops in the northern and western regions," Defense Minister Shoigu told top generals Russia, without elaborating further, reported Reuters on March 6.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 made Finland and Sweden decide to join NATO. Finland first joined in April last year.

Meanwhile, Sweden's request for accession, which was blocked by Turkey and Hungary, has received the green light from both countries, making its step to become NATO's 32nd member closer.

Most recently, Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok has signed a bill approving Sweden's accession to NATO, the presidential office said on Tuesday, paving the way for Sweden to join the alliance in the coming days.

Previously, members of the Hungarian Parliament approved Sweden's bid to join NATO on February 26. Meanwhile, remaining formalities, such as submission of accession documentation to Washington D.C., will likely be completed quickly.

"This is very important and hopefully we will now become members and this will not only be a matter of weeks but only a matter of days," Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson told a news conference in Stockholm.

"This will be good for Sweden and also good for NATO. This will be good for stability throughout the Euro-Atlantic area so that Sweden can become a full member of NATO," he continued.

It is known that NATO this week held a military exercise called 'Nordic Response 2024' which it said would involve more than 20,000 troops in Norway, Finland and Sweden with a focus on collective defense.