NATO member states have launched ratification procedures for Sweden and Finland to join the alliance, and Russia has commented that it is studying response options if NATO forces are deployed near its borders after the two countries are annexed.
The ambassadors of NATO member states signed the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland during a ceremony held at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday.
"The signing of the accession protocols launches the ratification process in each of the member states," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, adding that "when we become 32 members, we will be stronger, at a time when we are facing the most serious security crisis in decades."
Stoltenberg considered it a "historic day" for Finland, Sweden and North Atlantic security, expressing his hope that all member states would speed up to complete the necessary procedures to ratify the two countries' accession to the alliance.
The Secretary-General of NATO explained that the signed protocols need to be ratified by the parliaments of the 30 alliance countries.
Stoltenberg said that the alliance shares with Sweden and Finland the same values and challenges in facing what he described as the historical danger.
He recalled that "after weeks of intense talks on the security concerns raised by Turkey, common ground was reached, and the Madrid summit called on the two countries to join NATO."
Turkey agreed to launch this operation during the summit of NATO leaders in Madrid a few days ago, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reminded the two northern countries of the conditions to be achieved, referring to the confrontation of organizations and personalities that Ankara classifies as terrorist entities.
Sweden and Finland have officially requested to join NATO, amid fears of Russian threats following the war launched by Moscow on its neighbor Ukraine.
Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said his country looks forward to Europe's stability, and that his country and Sweden's accession to NATO will contribute to the alliance's collective security.
In turn, Sweden's Foreign Minister Anne Linde said that her country's accession would strengthen NATO and the stability of the region.
On the other hand, the Kremlin said today, Tuesday, that the Russian Defense Ministry is studying options for a response in the event that NATO infrastructure is deployed near the Russian borders after the inclusion of Sweden and Finland in the alliance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned a few days ago that Russia would have to respond in kind if military units and military infrastructure were deployed in the two countries, describing NATO as a tool of the Cold War and an expression of US foreign policy.