Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership can be quickly arranged if they apply. NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg said this in Brussels on Thursday, Reuters news agency reported. “If they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed and I expect the process to be swift.”
Stoltenberg says “agreements” can be made about the period between the registration of the two Scandinavian countries and the formal approval of all thirty NATO members. “I am confident that there are ways to bridge that interim period in a way that is good enough and works for both Finland and Sweden.” Stoltenberg will meet Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin later in the day.
Sweden and Finland announced two weeks ago that they were considering joining NATO. The Swedish government may want to submit a formal application by the end of June. So far, the two countries have enjoyed neutral status for a variety of historical reasons. Since the war in Ukraine, their stance on neutrality has changed.
Russia has said it will station nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which lies in the Baltic region, if Finland and Sweden decide to join NATO. Finland shares 1,300 kilometers of border area with Russia.
Also read: What are Finland and Sweden incurring with NATO membership?
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