Finland and Sweden are formally applying to join NATO, in its biggest expansion in two decades

Finland and Sweden formally submitted their bids for NATO membership on Wednesday morning, setting aside decades of neutrality strategy to embrace the military alliance in a incredibly fast change driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Finnish and Swedish envoys delivered letters expressing their countries ’interest in joining NATO to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Stoltenberg said NATO wants to accept both countries an accelerated process.

The two Nordic states, which have close ties with NATO but remain military not aligned they have long seen public opinion lean sharply in favor of joining the alliance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reversed Europe’s security.

If they are both accepted, it will mark NATO’s most important expansion in nearly two decadesincreasing the organization’s membership in 32 countries and adding hundreds of additional border miles to Russia.

Putin’s failure

NATO’s growth potential is another example of how President Vladimir Putin’s aggression Has fallen. The Russian leader described NATO’s expansion in the East as one of the reasons he felt compelled to send troops and tanks to Ukraine, but instead of destroying the Western alliance, This was reinforced by the Russian aggression.

Adopted by Putin a measurable tone since Finland and Sweden have announced their intentions to join NATO, saying their accession will not make a “direct threat”but Russia’s response will be determined by how NATO has expanded its military infrastructure in those countries.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said the war convinced his countrywhich is part of the 810-mile-long (1,300 km) eastern border with Russia, which it cannot stand.

“We believe in non-alignment it will give us stability”, He said on Tuesday during an official visit to Sweden. But Russia’s invasion, he added, “changed everything.”

A formal introduction followed a dizzying week which began when Niinisto and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced their support for membership on Thursday.

The Parliament of Finland supported the proposal on Tuesday by a vote of 188-8. The vote is a political formality, as Niinisto has foreign policy authority of the country, but it served as a sign of enthusiasm in a country where public opinion favors joining NATO from 20% before the Russian invasion to 80% now.

“It was a very strong result, 188 votes in favor,” Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told Finnish broadcaster YLE. “I personally did not expect such a strong result.” Haavisto signed the country’s request after the polls.

finnish government are in close contact with their movements along with Sweden, a longtime security partner that has observed neutrality for two centuries but the public has also strongly acted in favor of joining NATO.

Sweden

On Sunday, Sweden’s ruling Social Democratic Party put aside decades of skepticism and announced its decision to support the bid for NATO membership.

Fifty -seven percent of the Swedish public now support joining the alliance, up from 48% at the end of April, according to a poll in the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde signed the application of his country’s NATO on Tuesday morning.

Sweden’s prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, said her country it is closely tied to Finland. “This is a strong and clear sign that we are united,” he said.

However, the successful situation in the Nordic states has been overshadowed by signs already Turkey, a NATO member, may try to block its accession. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly criticized Sweden, in particular, as a haven for Kurdish separatists whom he considers terrorists.

Niinisto said he was surprised by Erdogan’s comments and expressed hope that any differences could be resolved through direct talks with Turkey.

USA is strongly supportive the membership of Finland and Sweden. On Thursday, Niinisto and Andersson are scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden in Washington. They will discuss their offers to NATO, the war in Ukraine and “the relationship of Europe and the United States in the changed security situation,” according to a statement from the Finnish presidency.

c.2022 The New York Times Company

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