Biden Signs Ratification Documents Advancing Finland, Sweden NATO Accession

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed ratification documents approving from the United States’ end the accession of Finland and Sweden to the NATO alliance, moving the countries one step closer to officially abandoning their long-standing neutrality in response to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

"It was and is a watershed moment, I believe, in the alliance, and for the greater security and stability not only of Europe and the United States, but of the world," Biden said during remarks prior to signing the documents.

The US Senate last week approved a resolution ratifying Finland and Sweden’s applications, allowing Biden to formally submit the US approval of their accession to the alliance. Turkey, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have yet to approve the two countries’ applications to NATO.

Biden during his remarks also urged the remaining countries to quickly finish their own ratification processes to bring Finland and Sweden into the alliance.

Finland and Sweden in May submitted NATO membership applications, citing a shift in the European security situation following the launch of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

Russia will closely follow any actions taken by Finland and Sweden following their possible accession to NATO, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Russia will provide a mirror response to threats emerging from the countries’ membership in the alliance, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev also said.

Consideration of Finland and Sweden’s bids to join NATO was initially blocked by Turkey over concerns about Helsinki and Stockholm’s support of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara regards as a terrorist organization.

However, an agreement was reached in June during a NATO summit in Madrid to unblock Finland and Sweden’s pathway to accession in exchange for increased collaboration on counterterrorism efforts, including against the PKK.