Under a heavy, rain-soaked Belgian sky, Sweden's flag was raised Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels to formally mark its new status as a full member of the western military alliance. Its neighbour, Finland, applied at the same time as Sweden and was accepted into the alliance last year. The Nordic country plans to send a reduced battalion to join the Canadian-led multinational brigade in Latvia, part of NATO's mission to deter Russia in eastern Europe. In a statement, the Swedish Armed Forces said that Sweden and Denmark will take turns leading a battalion that will form part of the Canadian-led brigade in Latvia. The Danish and Swedish troops will replace each other every six months, Janes Defence News reported in January, noting that the first Swedish unit — of 600 soldiers — had been designated already and will deploy in 2025.
