Nato launches ratification process for Sweden, Finland membership

By: 3 years ago

NATO flag with a silhouette of a soldier | INQ STOCK IMAGE

BRUSSELS 鈥揟he process to ratify Sweden and Finland as the newest members of Nato was formally launched on Tuesday, the military alliance鈥檚 head Jens Stoltenberg said, marking a historic step brought on by Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine.

鈥淭his is a good day for Finland and Sweden and a good day for Nato,鈥� Stoltenberg told reporters in a joint press statement with the Swedish and Finnish foreign ministers.

鈥淲ith 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,鈥� he added.

The Nato secretary general was speaking ahead of a meeting in which the ambassadors from Nato鈥檚 30 member states were expected to sign the accession protocols for the two Nordic countries, opening a months-long period for alliance countries to ratify their membership.

鈥淲e are tremendously grateful for all the strong support that our accession has received from the allies,鈥� said Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

鈥淲e are convinced that our membership would strengthen Nato and add to the stability in the Euro Atlantic area,鈥� she added.

In the wake of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine in February, Sweden and Finland in parallel announced their intention to drop their military non-alignment status and become part of Nato.

A Nato summit in Madrid last week endorsed that move by issuing invitations to the two, after Turkey won concessions over concerns it had raised and a US promise it would receive new warplanes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had accused Sweden and Finland of being havens for Kurdish militants he has sought to crush, and for promoting 鈥渢errorism鈥�.

He also demanded they lift arms embargoes imposed for Turkey鈥檚 2019 military incursion into Syria.

But Erdogan has kept the rest of Nato on tenterhooks by saying he could still block Sweden and Finland鈥檚 bids if they fail to follow through on their promises, some of which were undisclosed, such as possible extradition agreements.

黑料社