Adebayo Fajinmi
Finland and Sweden on Wednesday put forward their bids to join the US-led alliance NATO, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine up-ended decades of military non-alignment, AFP reports.
“The applications you have made today are a historic step. Allies will now consider the next steps on your path to NATO,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, after receiving the bids from the Finnish and Swedish ambassadors at the alliance’s headquarters.
This comes after Russia had warned on Monday that the decisions by the two countries to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation were serious mistakes, adding that Moscow would take measures.
“This is another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters.
“The general level of military tensions will increase,” he was quoted as saying by local news agencies.
With the new development, the membership push could represent the most significant expansion of NATO in decades, doubling its border with Russia, and President Vladimir Putin has warned it may trigger a response from Moscow.
But the applications face resistance from NATO member Turkey, which has threatened to block them over accusations the Nordic neighbours act as safe havens for armed groups opposed to Ankara. However, several NATO allies, most notably Britain, have offered security assurances to Finland and Sweden during the application period before they are covered by the alliance’s mutual defence pact.
“The security interests of all allies have to be taken into account and we are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions,” Stoltenberg said.
