The Standing NATO Maritime Group One has conducted its initial port visit to Stockholm following Sweden’s accession as the alliance’s 32nd member.
Brig. Gen. Patrik Gardesten, deputy commander of the Royal Swedish Navy, described the event as “historical,” noting that the visit underscores Sweden’s new role in the organization.
“We are ready to contribute to the Standing NATO Maritime Groups when the appropriate time and place occurs,” he said.
According to NATO, Sweden’s integration into the alliance will bolster transatlantic security, improve the organization’s capability to support partners in the Baltic region and fortify its defense measures in the High North.
French Navy Vice Adm. Didier Maleterre, deputy chief of the Allied Maritime Command, said NATO will reinforce its collective defense system with Sweden’s accession.
He added that the alliance will strengthen its security posture in Europe as Russia’s threat persists and the conflict in Ukraine continues.
Spanish Navy Rear Adm. Joaquin Ruiz Escagedo, the SNMG1 commander, traveled to Stockholm following the group’s participation in Steadfast Defender 24, NATO’s largest multi-domain exercise.
Escagedo explained that every NATO exercise enhances member countries’ ability to integrate their military capabilities and operate as a single entity.
The military alliance formally welcomed Sweden when it raised the Swedish flag at NATO headquarters in Brussels on March 11.
