Sweden signs NATO request, Finns to formally endorse move

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden on Tuesday signed a formal request to join NATO, a day after the country announced it would seek membership in the 30-member military alliance. In neighboring Finland, lawmakers are expected later in the day to formally endorse Finnish leaders’ decision also to join.

The moves by the two Nordic countries, ending Sweden’s more than 200 years of military nonalignment and Finland’s nonalignment after World War II, have provoked the ire of the Kremlin.

While most NATO members are keen to welcome the two countries as quickly as possible, Turkey has potentially complicated their accession by saying it cannot allow them to become members because of their perceived inaction against exiled Kurdish militants.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday doubled down on comments last week indicating that the two Nordic countries´ path to NATO would be anything but smooth. All 30 current NATO countries must agree to open the door to new members. He accused the two Nordic countries of refusing to extradite “terrorists” wanted by his country.



Swedish Minister of Foreígn Affairs Ann Linde poses for photographers as she signs Sweden's application for NATO membership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Stockholm, Tuesday, May 17 2022. Sweden's decision to seek NATO membership follows a similar decision by neighboring Finland, a historic shift for the countries, which have been nonaligned for generations. (Henrik Montgomery/TT News Agency via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-government-and-politics-turkey-stockholm-a1bd428c85fda056fd34620281e77c51

[Lovie777]

1. Switzerland is strongly considering .. ..

Hopefully Ukraine once this is over with.

[IronLionZion]

3. Whoa, that would be epic

[thesquanderer]

2. I guess one man's terrorist is another man's asylum seeker... n/t

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. Finland's parliament votes overwhelmingly for the country to join NATO after Russia's invasion of

Ukraine

Members of Finland's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday for the country to join NATO amid growing defense and security concerns in the wake of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Lawmakers voted 188-8 to approve the country joining the 73-year-old defense alliance, The Associated Press reported.

After Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February, public and political support for joining NATO reached an all-time high in Finland, which shares an 800-mile border with Russia.

The vote Tuesday comes after Finland's president and prime minister said on Sunday that they wanted their country to apply to join alliance.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/finland-s-parliament-votes-overwhelmingly-for-the-country-to-join-nato-after-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine/ar-AAXmTfF

[yaesu]

5. Sweden and Finland will formally submit simultaneous requests to join Nato on Wednesday, the Swedish

prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, has said

per the guardian live feed

[Skittles]

6. Ms. Linde's look of defiance

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Sweden and Finland formally apply to join Nato

Sweden and Finland have formally submitted their applications to join the Nato military alliance, confirming a radical redrawing of Europe’s security landscape triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, accepted the Nordic neighbours’ membership applications, each in a white folder embossed with their national flag, at the headquarters of the US-led defensive alliance in Brussels.

“I warmly welcome the requests by Finland and Sweden to join Nato. You are our closest partners,” Stoltenberg told the two countries’ ambassadors, hailing the occasion as “a historic step” and “a good day at a critical time for our safety”.

Nato ambassadors are expected to discuss the applications on Wednesday and could give the green light to opening formal talks with the pair on their requests, but Turkey has raised objections that could delay or even derail the process.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/18/sweden-and-finland-formally-apply-to-join-nato