For the first time in modern history, Sweden is hosting two American bombers that landed Monday at Luleå-Kallax Airport in the north of the country for military exercises, AFP and News.ro reported.

“We are going to conduct a joint exercise that mobilizes air and ground forces,” Swedish Air Force spokeswoman Louise Levin told AFP, without specifying the duration of the exercise.

“In these uncertain times and in the perspective of joining NATO, reliable partners are important,” the Swedish Ministry of Defense said in a press release, welcoming the “historic event.”

Sweden, which signed the protocol to join NATO in July 2022, still needs the ratification of its accession to the North Atlantic alliance by two of the 31 member states: Turkey and Hungary.

Only full members enjoy the protection of the famous Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which states that an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all.

Sweden wants to host temporary NATO bases

The Western camp in NATO, led by the United States, is putting pressure on Turkey to give the green light to Sweden’s entry. At the beginning of June, Sweden announced its readiness to accept temporary NATO bases on the territory of Sweden before the actual accession to the Alliance.

“The government has decided that the Swedish Armed Forces can conduct exercises together with NATO and NATO countries to enable future joint operations,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote in a joint editorial with Swedish Defense Minister Pál Jónsson.

Ulf Kristersson emphasizes that the presence of NATO troops on the territory of the country would deter Russia.

On Monday, a Swedish commission consisting of experts and political representatives of all parties warned that a military attack on Sweden cannot be ruled out in view of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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