The ambassadors of Sweden and Finland to NATO delivered their application for membership in the Alliance on Wednesday at the headquarters of the transatlantic organization, in Brussels, where they met with the Allied Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, who assured that the applications of the two Nordic countries constitute “an historic step”. A gesture driven by security fears that have led to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“I warmly welcome the applications from Finland and Sweden to join NATO. You are our closest partners,” the Norwegian politician told reporters after receiving letters of request from him. “This is a good day at a critical time for our security.”
The act, broadcast live on the NATO website, took place early this Wednesday after the Finnish Parliament approved joining the Alliance and the Swedish Government communicated its decision to request entry into that organization.
The request must now be weighed by the 30 member countries. That process is expected to take about two weeks, although Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed reservations about the additions. If their objections are overcome and membership talks go as well as expected, the two could become members within months. The process usually takes between eight and 12 months, but NATO wants to act quickly given the threat from Russia that hangs over the heads of the Nordic countries. Canada, for example, says it hopes to ratify its accession protocol in a few days.
Stoltenberg said NATO allies “are determined to solve all problems and come to quick conclusions.” “All allies agree on the importance of NATO enlargement. We all agree that we must stand together and we all agree that this is a historic moment that we must seize,” he told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Public opinion in Finland and Sweden has swung massively in favor of membership since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Both countries cooperate closely with NATO. They have functioning democracies, well-funded armed forces, and contribute to alliance military operations and aerial surveillance. Any obstacles they face will simply be technical in nature, or possibly political.
The NATO membership process is not formalized and the steps may vary. But first their membership applications will be examined at a session of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) of 30 member countries, probably at the ambassadorial level. The NAC will decide whether to move towards membership and what steps need to be taken to achieve it. This depends primarily on how well the candidate countries align with NATO’s political, military and legal standards, and whether they contribute to security in the North Atlantic area. This should not pose any substantial problem for Finland and Sweden.
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