Finland, Sweden submit NATO membership application

18/5/2022 15:09

        NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that Finland, Sweden have officially applied to join the world's biggest military alliance, a move driven by security concerns over Russia's war in Ukraine.
        
        The application must now be weighed by the 30 member countries. That process is expected to take about two weeks, although Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed reservations about Finland and Sweden joining.
        
        If his objections are overcome, and accession talks go as well as expected, the two could become members within a few months. The process usually takes eight to 12 months, but NATO wants to move quickly given the threat from Russia hanging over the Nordic countries' heads.
        
        Canada, for example, says that it expects to ratify their accession protocol in just a few days.
        
        Stoltenberg said that NATO allies "are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions."