NATO: the integration process of Sweden and Finland is underway

“We are preparing to welcome Finland and Sweden into our alliance, two new allies with formidable military forces and capabilities,” said Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance.

REUTERS - DADO RUVIC

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

It's historic.

Sweden and Finland are now in the process of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The process was launched on July 5 with the signing of the two accession protocols for these two countries.

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With our correspondent in Brussels,

Sweden and Finland had submitted an application for membership in mid-May 2022. Only a month and a half later, with unprecedented speed, the thirty member countries of

signed on the morning of July 5 in Brussels, at the headquarters of the organization, their membership protocols.

To see these two states renouncing their traditional neutrality is a sign of the upheavals taking place in Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Great Military Capabilities 

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Their arrival was hailed by Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO: “ 

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Turkey casts doubt

Following today's signature, membership will need to be ratified at national level by the parliament of each of the alliance's 30 member states.

It's hard to know exactly how long it will take, but everyone seems to agree, even if Turkey leaves doubts.

In exchange for her vote, she notably wants to obtain from Sweden the extradition of 73 people whom Ankara considers to be terrorists.

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