HungarianPrimeMinisterViktorOrban(R)shakeshandswithSwedishPrimeMinisterUlfKristerssonduringajointpressconferenceafterabilateralmeetinginBudapest,HungaryonFeb.23,2024.(PhotobyAttilaVolgyi/Xinhua)Sweden'sNATOmembershipmeanstheabandonmentofitshistoricalpolicyofnon-alignmentandneutrality.AnalystsarguethatNATO'scontinuedenlargementwillreshapeEuropeansecuritydynamicsandpotentiallystrainRussia'sgeopoliticalposition.BRUSSELS,Feb.27(Xinhua)--TheHungarianparliament'sgreenlightonSweden'saccessiontotheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganization(NATO)clearedthefinalstrongholdinthemilitarybloc'scomprehensiveexpansioninthenortherndirection.However,concernshavebeenraisedthatSweden'saccessioncouldleadtoregionalinstability.Swedenactivelypursuedmembershiptoensureacollectivedefensestrategy,followinginthefootstepsofFinland,whichjoinedNATOinAprillastyear.Nevertheless,analystshavewarnedthatSweden,onceanon-alignedNordiccountry,maynowfaceincreasedrisksofbeingdrawnintoconflicts.PROTRACTEDACCESSIONPROCESSFollowingtheescalationoftheUkrainiancrisisinFebruary2022,bothSwedenandFinlandabandonedtheirlongstandingmilitarynon-alignmentpolicyandappliedforNATOmembership.Allmembernationswererequiredtoapprovetheapplications.ThenationalflagofFinlandfliesafteraceremonyforFinland'saccessiontoNATOattheNATOheadquartersinBrussels,Belgium,April4,2023.(Xinhua/ZhengHuansong)FinlandcompletedtheaccessionprocessinApril2023.However,afterTürkiyeapprovedSweden'smembershipinJanuary,HungarycontinuedtoopposeituntilMonday.HighlightinglongstandingtensionswithSweden,HungariangovernmentspokesmanZoltanKovacshademphasizedtheneedforcollaborationtobridgedifferences.Meanwhile,theUnitedStatesandNATOallieshavebeenputtingpressureonHungarytoexpediteSweden'saccession.Lastweek,SwedishPrimeMinisterUlfKristerssonvisitedBudapest,culminatinginabilateralagreementinvolvingthepurchaseofSwedishfighterjetsbyHungary.BLOCCONFRONTATIONCONCERNSSweden'sNATOmembershipmeanstheabandonmentofitshistoricalpolicyofnon-alignmentandneutrality.AnalystsarguethatNATO'scontinuedenlargementwillreshapeEuropeansecuritydynamics,andpotentiallystrainRussia'sgeopoliticalposition.NicholasLokkerandHeliHautalafromtheCenterforaNewAmericanSecurity(CNAS)expressedconcernsthatMoscowmayperceiveNATO'sexpansionasathreat,leadingtoshortandlong-termchallenges.ThisphototakenonOct.11,2023showstheNATOheadquartersinBrussels,Belgium.(Xinhua/ZhaoDingzhe)RussianDefenseMinistrypublicationswarnofthesecurityimplicationsofNATOtroopsandequipmentonFinnishandSwedishterritory.Lastyear,SwedenandtheUnitedStatesstrengthenedtheirdefensecooperation,grantingaccesstomilitarybases.CoupledwithrecentU.S.agreementswithFinland,thesemovesdeprivedthetwocountriesofthestatusofbufferzonesbetweentheNATOallianceandRussia.JanOberg,directoroftheTransnationalFoundationforPeaceandFutureResearch,saidthatSweden'sdecisiontojoinNATOmaycompromisethesecurityoflocalcitizens.FinlandandSweden,"insteadofkeepingoutofwar,beingapotentialmediatorandsupportingdisarmamentandde-nuclearization,willbefrontlinestatesdrawnintoacrisis/tensionsituationmuchmoreeasilyandearlythanotherwise,"ObergsaidinarecentinterviewwithXinhua.REGIONALINSECURITYNATO'scontinuedexpansion,particularlywiththeinclusionofSwedenandFinland,intensifiestensionswithRussiaintheNordicregion,analystsstressed.PeopletakepartinaprotestagainstSwedenhostingalargeinternationalmilitaryexerciseandthecountrystrivingtobecomeamemberoftheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganization(NATO)inStockholm,Sweden,onApril22,2023.(PhotobyPatrickEkstrand/Xinhua)LokkerandHautalahighlightedthatRussia'sborderwithNATOwillextendfromtheArcticOceantotheBalticSea,which"willpermanentlyaltertheEuropeansecurityarchitectureanderodeRussia'sgeopoliticalposition."InMay2022,theRussianForeignMinistrywarnedthatSweden'sNATOmembershipcoulddamagethesecurityofNorthernEurope.NATOmilitaryexercisesacrosstheEuropeancontinentoneafteranothernearRussianterritoryinrecentyearshavesignificantlydisturbedMoscow.EarlierthisyearbeforeSweden'sentry,NATOkickedoffamassivefour-month-longmilitaryexercise,SteadfastDefender2024.Thealliance'slargestmilitaryexerciseindecades,includingabout90,000troopsfrom31memberstatesandSweden,quicklydrewcriticismfromRussianDeputyForeignMinisterAlexanderGrushko,whocalleditareturntoColdWar-eratactics.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.