The US House of Representatives voted on Monday to approve Finland and Sweden joining NATO, but the final decision will be made by the Senate, which has not yet voted on the matter.
The US Senate is the legislative body responsible for deciding international treaties, and it requires a two-thirds majority to pass a measure.
The Senate is expected to vote on the Nordic countries’ pending NATO applications before their summer recess, which begins on August 4, according to Finland’s foreign minister. Pekka Haavisto (Green).
The minister stated to Yle that the US support for Finland joining the military alliance was "great symbolic meaning."
The congressional vote on the resolution was 394–18, with all dissenting votes coming from Republican lawmakers. Nineteen MPs abstained from voting, two of them Democrats.
The House Majority Leader, a Democrat Steny Hoyerexpressed support for the resolution on Monday.
"Together, Finland and Sweden add significant capabilities to NATO’s common defense and make the Baltic region much safer against a Russian attack. But much more, they bring added value to our union thanks to their values," Hoyer said, according to the US Political News Hill.
Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO aspirations are also expected to be approved in the upcoming Senate vote, as the measure has bipartisan support.
The Senate’s foreign affairs committee announced at the beginning of last month that it supports the Nordic countries joining the alliance.
So far, half of the alliance’s 30 member states have ratified the accession of Finland and Sweden, after the countries applied about two months ago.
Foreign Minister Haavisto said that in his opinion the process progressed faster than expected.
"We’re already halfway through, and it’s only just past the middle of July," he pointed out.
The ratification process of another country that Haavisto is following particularly closely is Italy, which is in the middle of a government crisis. The situation may delay the NATO ratification vote.
He said Italy’s vote was originally expected in early autumn, but a potential election could affect that timetable.
“Knock on wood”
The period of opposition by NATO member Turkey delayed the start of Finland’s ratification process.
On Monday, Haavisto said that he is still cautious about the Nordic countries’ NATO membership.
"Of course, you always have to knock on wood when talking about opportunities and possibilities," Haavisto joked when asked about Turkey’s support.
However, the minister stated that Turkey, Finland and Sweden signed a tripartite memorandum at last month’s NATO summit in Madrid. He said representatives of the three countries are likely to begin meetings on their agreements next month.
In a memorandum signed at the end of June, Turkey promised to support the Nordic countries’ NATO applications, but at that time the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that his country cannot ratify Finland’s and Sweden’s application to join the military alliance unless the countries keep their promises.
Erdoğan is scheduled to meet the Russian president Vladimir Putin in Tehran, Iran on Tuesday.
Haavisto stated that there has been public speculation that the leaders could discuss the Nordic countries’ pending NATO membership, but said that Finland is not aware of such plans.
"We do not believe that in such a forum – with Iran, Russia and Turkey – our NATO membership will be discussed in any way." Haavisto said and stated that he dismissed speculations about collusion between Turkey and Russia.
Erdoğan reiterated on Monday that Turkey would prevent the Nordic countries from joining the alliance if they do not fulfill the commitments agreed in the tripartite memorandum. Erdoğan has repeatedly called on Finland and Sweden to extradite persons whom Turkey considers terrorists.
Source: The Nordic Page