Sweden is set to finally join Nato on Thursday, meaning the western defence alliance has nearly ringed the entire Baltic Sea, a significant oil trading route for Russia and home to one of its fleets.
“The Baltic Sea becomes a Nato lake,” said Krišjānis Kariņš, Latvia’s foreign minister and a self-declared candidate to head Nato.
As it formally becomes the 32nd member of the US-led alliance during a ceremony in Washington, Sweden brings with it the mid-Baltic island of Gotland — dubbed a “giant aircraft carrier” — which makes the defence of the three small Baltic states easier.
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