On August 9, US President Joe Biden signed documents approving the entry of Finland and Sweden into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
This is reported by Reuters.
"It was and is a turning point, I believe in the Alliance and in greater security and stability not only for Europe and the United States, but also for the whole world," Joe Biden said.
And he added that Russian President Putin is getting "exactly what he did not want."
Last week, the US Senate overwhelmingly supported NATO expansion. Both Democrats and Republicans welcomed the membership of these Scandinavian countries and called them important allies.
- Sweden and Finland have applied to join NATO in May 2022. All 30 member states must agree, but Turkey has vetoed it.
- After talks at the NATO summit in Madrid, Turkish President Recep Erdogan agreed with his Finnish and Swedish counterparts on June 28 on a series of security measures that will allow the two Scandinavian countries to advance in their quest to join the Alliance. Turkish media published the terms agreed to by Sweden and Finland. In particular, they undertake to cooperate with Turkey in countering terrorism and exchange intelligence. Also, these countries should oppose the Kurdistan Workersʼ Party, recognized as a terrorist in the EU and Turkey, and its affiliated organizations.
- On July 4, the countries concluded negotiations with NATO and the next day signed the protocol on joining the Alliance. Now this document must be ratified by every NATO member country, and after that Sweden and Finland will become full members of the Alliance.