Biden initials NATO membership approval for Finland and Sweden

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday initiated the United States’ approval of Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.

During the signing event at the White House, the US chief executive said the two Nordic countries will be “strong, reliable and capable allies” by joining the military alliance.

The US Senate last week overwhelmingly approved two accession protocols for Finland and Sweden in the Atlantic alliance. All NATO member states must ratify these protocols before both countries’ membership takes effect.

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Mr. Biden has made restoring transatlantic ties mishandled by his predecessor, Donald Trump, a priority of his foreign policy. He noted on Tuesday that NATO is part of America’s “security foundations.”

He also praised the two countries as having “strong democratic institutions” and committed forces that would strengthen NATO.

According to a White House statement, President Biden telephoned his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersen on Tuesday to congratulate them on the “closer step” toward joining NATO.

With MAP