Washington [US]August 10 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed US ratification of bids by Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), moving a step closer in response to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine .
President Biden said on Twitter, “Finland and Sweden will make NATO stronger. Today I signed the US instrument of ratification, making the US the 23rd ally to approve their membership in NATO.” Earlier this month, senators voted 95-1 in favor of Finland and Sweden joining, making the US the 23rd of the 30 NATO countries to give formal support.
“Just a few months ago, I welcomed the President of Finland and the Prime Minister of Sweden to the White House to show the strong support of the United States for both countries’ decision to apply for membership in NATO,” Joe Biden said as he spoke to the press. .
Biden praised Finland and Sweden, saying both have strong democratic institutions, strong militaries and strong and transparent economies” that would help strengthen NATO.
Ahead of the ceremony, the White House said the US president spoke with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
“President Biden congratulated them on the US Senate’s swift, bipartisan ratification of their NATO Accession Protocol and welcomed that Finland and Sweden took a step closer to becoming NATO allies,” the statement said.
The US President affirmed that the US will work with Finland and Sweden to remain vigilant against all threats to our common security and to deter and confront aggression or threats of aggression.
Earlier, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) 30 allies signed the Accession Protocol for Sweden and Finland, setting in motion the process of admitting the two Nordic countries into the alliance.
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde participated in the signing.”With 32 nations around the table, we will be even stronger and our people will be even safer, as we face the biggest security crisis in decades.” declared NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference after the signing.
NATO’s 30 members formally invited Finland and Sweden to join their alliance at the NATO summit in Madrid, Spain, just seven weeks after both countries submitted their applications in response to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The accession process was initially blocked by Turkey, a NATO member that raised concerns over the fight against terrorism, but after signing a memorandum of understanding with Finland and Sweden, Turkey lifted its veto before NATO Madrid. top.
The next step was for the parliaments of all 30 NATO members to ratify Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO, according to their own national procedures. The US has approved Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO and now time will tell if the same land is held by all other countries. (ANI)
Source: sn.dk