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Comment by erikstarck | Hacker News Reader

If Finland joins, Sweden will follow. We can't be the only baltic nation outside NATO. That would be both foolish and selfish. With the third largest party, SD, switching there is a majority in Riksdagen pro-NATO. S will follow soon.

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Is there any benefit for Sweden to join NATO? Finland is directly attached to Russia, so it might benefit them from future aggression. But, I don't see any reason for Sweden to join NATO. Also, people seem to forget the cost of joining NATO is not free.

There is absolutely no one that will come and assist Sweden when Russia decides to take Gotland if we’re not in NATO.

And it’s extremely selfish by the self proclaimed humanitarian super power to not step in and help if some of our Baltic neighbors were attacked.

The cost of a strong enough military outside NATO is higher than inside. 4-5% of GDP vs 2%.

And Finland is already spending between 2.5 to 3.5% of its GDP on defense already (depends on how one calculates the actual cost of conscription). Finland joining nato will not increase its defense spending in the long term

The Swedish island Gotland is of central strategic importance in the baltic sea, so in case of a conflict either NATO or Russia would seize control of the island with or without Sweden’s consent.

Not to mention to secure against a Russian invasion of the mainland, of course…

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