Karis: Sweden's NATO accesion fulfils Estonia's long-time dream

TALLINN - Estonian President Alar Karis attended a reception celebrating Sweden's NATO membership at the residence of the Swedish ambassador, where he noted that Sweden's NATO accession fulfils a long-time dream of Estonia.

"Sweden -- a country with which we share not only geographical, historical and cultural proximity, but often friendship and family ties -- has become a full member of NATO. It goes without saying that this is the fulfillment of a long-time dream for Estonia," Karis said.

According to the head of state, a lot has been said about the positive aspects that Sweden's membership brings to NATO security.

"About how it is now much easier to keep our military support lines open across the Baltic Sea, or about how it allows better freedom of movement for support forces on the other side of the Atlantic, or about how the modern and capable Swedish Navy, Air Force and Army contribute significantly to NATO's collective defense plans in the Baltic Sea region. All this is true," Karis said.

The president added that he is pleased that in today's and tomorrow's world, where adversaries want countries to be divided, Sweden's membership is a bold example of the true power of Western unity.

"At a time when autocrats around the world think the free world is weak and disjointed, Sweden's decision to join NATO convincingly proves them wrong," Karis said. "When the times call for it, European and North Atlantic countries are ready to rally around the values that make us who we are -- above all our national freedom of choice and a rules-based international order. This shows that we are ready and determined to defend these values together."

The president also thanked Sweden for making the alliance stronger and expressed hope that together it will be possible to make NATO even stronger.