Data: NATO; Map: Axios Visuals
Sweden officially joined NATO on Thursday, becoming its 32nd member.
Why it matters: The nordic nation's accession to the alliance marks another major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has claimed that Moscow invaded Ukraine in hopes of blocking the alliance's eastward expansion.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson handed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken the final documentation in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to make the move official.
"Thank you all Allies for welcoming us as the 32nd member," Kristersson said in a post on X. "We will strive for unity, solidarity and burden-sharing, and will fully adhere to the Washington Treaty values: freedom, democracy, individual liberty and...