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Sweden and Finland approached joining NATO on Tuesday, with ambassadors from all 30 member states signing a accession protocol for the two Nordic states to join the alliance.
“This is a truly historic moment, for Finland, for Sweden, for NATO, and for our common security,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stortemberg, the most of the alliance in decades. Mentioned an important expansion.
The legislatures of each country must approve the bids in Sweden and Finland. This process can take several months.
Canada was the first country to ratify the Protocol, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged allies to “act to expedite the ratification process to limit opportunities for adversary interference.” rice field.
Sweden and Finland applied for membership in May, but when Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded that members of a Kurdish rebel group that Turkey considers terrorists be handed over, they entered the country. Seems to have run into a problem.
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Last week, the three countries reached a joint agreement that Sweden and Finland promised to support on Tuesday.
“We fully respect the memorandum. Of course, there is no list in the memorandum, but we will build a better partnership with terrorists,” Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in a press conference. meeting.
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Prime Minister Erdogan warned that the Turkish parliament would not approve the accession protocol “unless the Nordic countries fulfill their obligations” after the agreement was signed.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February spurred applications for NATO membership in historically neutral Sweden and Finland. If approved, the border between Russia and NATO countries will more than double.
Assocaited Press contributed to this report.