NATO officials and representatives from Finland and Sweden are holding talks at the Atlantic Alliance headquarters in Brussels this Monday on the accession of both Scandinavian countries to the organization, just as a procedure from Turkey’s lifting its veto on the entry of Hensinki and Stockholm. performed. .

Accession negotiations aim to confirm the ability of the two countries to meet their military, political and legal commitments and obligations of membership in the transatlantic organisation.

The talks in Brussels on Monday are just a formality, as Finland and Sweden are established democracies with modern armies accustomed to close cooperation with NATO.

On Tuesday, NATO ambassadors of the 30 countries that make up the Alliance will sign the accession protocols of the two Scandinavian countries.

Finland and Sweden are not expected to sign these accession protocols, but foreign ministers Pekka Haavisto of Finland and Ann Linde of Sweden will be at NATO headquarters on Tuesday and hold a press conference with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.

Once the accession protocols are signed, they must be ratified at national level in the 30 existing members of the transatlantic organisation.

Procedures for ratifying accession protocols vary from country to country. The United States requires the approval of two-thirds of the Senate, while the United Kingdom does not require a formal vote in Parliament.

NATO’s collective defense principle that an attack on one ally is equivalent to an attack on all and a joint response must be given will only apply to Finland and Sweden when these countries become full members of the Alliance. The entire participation process has been completed.

The war in Ukraine prompted traditionally neutral Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership. .

However, Ankara, Stockholm and Helsinki reached an agreement last Tuesday that lifted Turkey’s veto, paving the way for the two Scandinavian countries to become members of the transatlantic organization.