Washington DC, 10 August 2022 (TDI): President Joe Biden on Tuesday ratified the accession of the Republic of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic treaty organization (NATO) and ensured to work together to deal with national security threats.
Finland and Sweden will make NATO stronger.
Today, I signed the U.S. Instruments of Ratification, making the United States the 23rd Ally to approve their membership in NATO.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 9, 2022
The United States, on Wednesday, gave a nearly unanimous bipartisan approval to NATO membership of Sweden and Finland, making the United States the 23rd of the 30 countries to approve the decision formally.
The Senate voted 95 to 1 in favor of the accession of the two countries into North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In the wake of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and the Republic of Finland applied for NATO membership on 15 May 2022.
The ratification of the accession of Finland and sweden to NATO was done under Article 5‘s principle of collective defense.
The article ensures that when one member state is under attack, the attack is considered against each member state.
Before signing the protocols in the East Room on Tuesday afternoon, President Biden on a joint phone call with the President of Republic Finland, Sauli Niinistö, and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson showed their commitment to working together in the face of national security threats.
“Together we committed to remain vigilant against any threat to our state security and deter any confrontation and confront aggression”, President Biden told the media.
Finland and Sweden’s decision to join NATO is a watershed moment for our Alliance.
It will help ensure greater security and stability for our world.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 9, 2022
Remarks of President Biden
The US President declared that the two non-militarily aligned northern European countries would help ensure greater security and stability for our world.
The deal is a monumental shift for the countries’ longstanding neutral standing in conflicts and avoiding any military alliances.
Sharing a 340km (830 miles) border with Russia, Finland has now secured its place in the largest military alliance to ensure its security and avoid threats of Russian aggression that might echo in its homeland, as Finland Officials describe.
Similarly, Sweden shares its maritime borders with Russia. The Russian presence in the Baltic seas has always projected a sense of threat towards Sweden.
Finland and Sweden became members of NATO in 1994. They became a major contributor to the alliance since then.
The official ratification of the accession of the countries will provide them with security assurance from any kind of confrontation.
“Together with our allies and partners, we’re going to write the future we want to see, and in a moment when Putin’s Russia has shattered peace and security in Europe — when autocrats are challenging the very foundations of a rule-based order — the strength of the transatlantic alliance and America’s commitment to NATO is more important than it’s ever been,” President Biden added.
According to the US state department, “Allies are united in their shared mission to defend the Euro-Atlantic community, deter aggression, project stability, and uphold NATO’s values of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.”
Referring to growing Russian aggression against Ukraine, the fastest ratification of any bipartisan decision will send a signal that the US is ready for today and tomorrow, President Joe Biden said in his address.
Furthermore, “These bipartisan decisions will increase our abilities to lead the world,”
However, seven-member countries have yet to formally agree to the new decision taken unanimously on Tuesday: the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and Turkey.
Relations of Finland and Sweden with the US
Both the countries enjoys good bilateral relations with the US.
Finland enjoys good bilateral relations with the US. the United States established diplomatic relations with Finland in 1920.
The United States was one of the first countries to recognize Finland after it declared independence in 1917. Finland became an EU member on 1 January 1995.
The United States provide developmental assistance to Finland. They also enjoy good economic relations with each other.
Similarly, Sweden was one of the first countries to recognize U.S. independence in 1783. The two countries have maintained a strong bilateral friendship based on shared values and mutual interests.
