Ambassadors of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) signed the Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden at its headquarters on Tuesday, 5 July.
The signing took place in the presence of Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.
"This is truly a historic moment. For Finland, for Sweden, for NATO, and for our shared security," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Stoltenberg said he expected no change of heart. “There were security concerns that needed to be addressed. And we did what we always do at NATO. We found common ground.” Every alliance nation has different legislative challenges and procedures to deal with, and it could take several more months for the two to become official members.
“I look forward to a swift ratification process,” said Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has given the process added urgency. It will ensconce the two nations in the Western military alliance and give NATO more clout, especially in the face of Moscow’s military threat.
“We will be even stronger and our people will be even safer as we face the biggest security crisis in decades,” said Stoltenberg.