WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday formally welcomed Finland and Sweden’s entry into the NATO alliance as he signed instruments of ratification that provided formal U.S. support for the Nordic nations’ accession to the Mutual Defense Pact, part of a reshaping of the European security posture is after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“By attempting to join NATO, Finland and Sweden are making a sacred commitment that attack against one is attack against all,” Biden said at the signing, calling the partnership a “vital alliance.”
The US became the 23rd ally to approve the two countries’ NATO membership. Biden said he spoke to the leaders of both nations before signing the ratification and urged the remaining NATO members to complete their own ratification process “as soon as possible.”
The Senate last week approved the two once-unaligned nations’ entry into the alliance in a rare 95-1 vote that Biden says shows the world “the United States of America can still do great things,” with a sense of political entity.
The countries sought NATO membership earlier this year to ensure their security following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offensive in Ukraine. The rules of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization require approval from all of its 30 existing members before Finland and Sweden can formally join the alliance, which is expected in the coming months.
The candidatures of the two prosperous northern European nations have received ratification from more than half of NATO member states in the roughly three months since the two’s candidacy. It marks one of the fastest expansions of the mutual defense pact between the United States and democratic allies in Europe in its 73-year history.
US State Department and Defense Department officials consider the two countries to be true “security suppliers,” particularly strengthening NATO’s defense position in the Baltics. Finland is expected to exceed NATO’s 2% defense spending target of gross domestic product in 2022, and Sweden has committed to meeting the 2% target.
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May, putting aside their longstanding stance of military non-alignment. It was a major shift in security arrangements for the two countries after neighboring Russia launched its war against Ukraine in late February. Encouraging their accession, Biden welcomed the leaders of the two countries to the White House in May, where they stood side by side to show US support.
The US and its European allies have joined forces in the face of Putin’s military invasion and the Russian leader’s sweeping statements this year condemning NATO, issuing veiled reminders of Russia’s nuclear arsenal, and asserting Russia’s historic claims to the territory of many Russias newly won partnership united neighbors.