Live: Nato raises Sweden’s flag to celebrate new membership

Watch live as Sweden is welcomed into Nato with a flag-raising ceremony on Monday, 11 March. The Scandinavian country has become the alliance’s second new member since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It follows Finland’s accession to Nato in April 2023 after Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Upon Sweden’s ratification, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg described it as “a historic day.“ “After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ freedom and security,“ he added. Article 5, activated only once before by the US in the wake of the 11 September, 2001, attacks, obliges all members to come to the aid of an ally whose territory or security is under threat. Sweden has embraced neutrality for more than 200 years, but support for Nato membership grew in light of reports of Russian aggression including a suspected submarine in its waters. It