The Know Daily - Tuesday 27 February 2024

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Japan is set to launch the world's first wooden satellite this summer. The tiny spacecraft - named LignoSat - is made of magnolia wood, and it aims to combat space pollution by showing how eco-friendly and biodegradable materials such as wood can be used in satellite construction. Here’s to a smooth flight 🫡

🇸🇪 Sweden to join NATO

Sweden is set to join NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization). But what is the military alliance all about? 

Go on…
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was established in 1949 and initially comprised 12 nations, including the US, UK, Canada and France. Crucially, they pledge “collective defence” - which means that an attack against one member state is considered an attack against all members. 

The alliance has since expanded to include 32 members across Europe and North America. Although NATO doesn’t engage in direct military intervention, individual members have provided military aid to conflict zones like Ukraine. More on NATO here.

So why is Sweden joining now?
Both Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Finland became a member in April last year, Sweden’s bid faced opposition from both Turkey and Hungary. The Turkish parliament approved their bid last month after Sweden “pledged closer cooperation” on security concerns, explained CNN - and yesterday, Hungary’s parliament also approved Sweden’s entry.  

Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán - who has remained in contact with Russia’s President Putin “in defiance of Western pressure” - had delayed approving Sweden's bid for over 600 days.

Why is this a big deal?
Sweden’s PM Ulf Kristersson said it was a "historic day" and a "big step" for Sweden to abandon 200 years of neutrality by becoming the military alliance’s 32nd member. With both Sweden and Finland now joining, NATO is seeing its “biggest expansion” since the 1990s, the BBC explained. 

What are the key issues NATO is facing?
Sweden's entry comes at a time of “increasing uncertainty” over NATO's future, POLITICO explained. Frontrunner for the US Republican presidential nomination Donald Trump earlier this month threatened to withdraw security guarantees for certain parts of Europe, AP reported.

Ukraine’s President Zelensky has also expressed frustration that his country has not been invited to join the alliance. NATO’s secretary general has said it is "inevitable" that Ukraine will become a member, but not until its war with Russia ends.