Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde has signed her country's application for NATO membership.

"It feels significant and fateful," she said Tuesday morning, and that in the end they did "what I think is best for Sweden."

The kingdom is now also formally ready to submit its application to the defense alliance.

Apparently, this should happen together with Finland this Wednesday at the latest.

Matthias Wysuwa

Political correspondent for northern Germany and Scandinavia based in Hamburg.

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Parliament in Helsinki had been discussing accession for more than 14 hours on Monday, and on Tuesday afternoon MPs voted in favor of their country joining NATO.

188 MPs voted in favor of a membership application, 8 voted against.

This finally paves the way for a Finnish application for NATO membership.

Similar to Sweden, Finland is ending a decade-long tradition of non-alignment.

"Side by our brother country"

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö arrived in Stockholm on Tuesday for a two-day state visit.

He was received by the Swedish King Carl XVI.

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Against the background of the planned NATO membership, the visit to both countries is of great importance.

Although the king of Sweden, unlike the president in Finland, has no role in the debate and the country's decision to join NATO, he also commented on the current situation at a joint press conference in the city palace.

Sweden intends to join NATO at the same time and in agreement with Finland, he noted.

"This is a historic decision that we are making side by side with our brother country."

Niinistö is expected to sign Finland's application for NATO membership during the state visit.

The security policy of the two countries has been similar for a long time, and now that the situation requires it, they are moving forward together, Niinistö said at the press conference.

In a subsequent speech in the Reichstag, he spoke of a "common challenge" in view of the threats from Turkey not to accept Sweden and Finland as new NATO members.

However, he is certain that the situation will be resolved with the help of constructive discussions.

Niinistö also said in his speech in the Reichstag: "In addition to democracy and welfare, security is also becoming an increasingly important pillar in our common Nordic model."

While the other states in the north, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, have long been NATO members, Sweden and Finland have remained non-aligned, at least militarily.

Although cooperation with NATO had already become ever closer after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, it was not until the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February that the debate on NATO membership in both countries advanced.

After the official receipt of the membership application from the two countries at NATO, an accession process that will probably last a few months will begin, in which all 30 members, including Turkey, will have to agree to the admission.