Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has confirmed that her country will formally apply for NATO membership.

“We will inform NATO that we want to become a member of the alliance,” Andersson said after a debate on security policy in parliament today.

“There is a majority in the Swedish parliament in favor of applying for NATO membership. “The best thing for Sweden and the Swedish people is to join NATO,” she said.

The decision to abandon military non-engagement, which has been a central part of Swedish national identity for more than 200 years, is a historic change for the country.

This comes a day after the Swedish Social Democrats changed the party’s long-standing stance that Sweden should remain militarily disengaged, paving the way for a clear majority in parliament in favor of applying to NATO.

Once a regional military power, Sweden has avoided military alliances since the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

Like Finland, it remained neutral throughout the Cold War, but established closer relations with NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Public opinion in both countries was strongly opposed to NATO membership until Russia invaded Ukraine, after which polls showed a dramatic shift in favor of membership.