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Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said today that the defense potential of the northern region would be enhanced if Sweden and Finland joined NATO, which would allow joint planning in the field of defense within the alliance, Reuters reported.

"If Sweden and Finland join NATO, it will allow us to take advantage of each other's strengths and strengths and fully complement each other, as well as to carry out operational planning. In that case, the result will be that we will become stronger together. This is something that could happen if we choose to join NATO, "Hultqvist told Swedish Radio.

Sweden has defense agreements with its neighbors in the northern region.

The country's ruling Social Democrats will decide on May 15th whether to abandon the party's decades-long opposition to NATO membership.

Such a move would almost certainly lead to Stockholm's request to join the alliance.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a rethinking of security policy in Sweden and Finland.

Stoltenberg: Finland and Sweden will be able to join NATO quickly if they apply for membership

This week, Finnish President Sauli Ninistö is expected to announce his support for NATO membership.

Hultqvist, who has long been skeptical of Sweden's membership in the alliance, declined to say in an interview what his current position is. 

Denmark, Norway and Iceland are members of NATO.

NATO membership