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Finland, Sweden submit application to join NATO
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BRUSSELS, 18 May 2022, (TON): Finland and Sweden formally applied to join the NATO alliance at allied headquarters, a decision spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and setting in motion an accession process that is expected to take only a few weeks.
Sweden and Finland were both neutral throughout the Cold War, and their decision to join NATO is one of the most significant changes in Europe’s security architecture for decades, reflecting a sweeping shift in public opinion in the Nordic region since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said “this is a historic moment, which we must seize.”
Stoltenberg said “I warmly welcome requests by Finland and Sweden to join NATO. You are our closest partners, and your membership in NATO will increase our shared security.”
Ratification of all 30 allied parliaments could take up to a year, diplomats say.
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