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| Photo Credit: AP. |
President Joe Biden Tuesday signed a protocol admitting Sweden and Finland to join NATO.
The president hailed his accent as a “watershed moment” for the transatlantic alliance which has seen a number of countries jostling to join the group following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr. Biden
was in the East Room of the White House when he accented the Ascension Protocol for the two
European countries to join the security alliance, The Hill reports.
“It was and
is a watershed moment, I believe, in the alliance. And for the greater security
stability not only of Europe and the United States, but of the world,” Biden
said at an event attended by the ambassadors of Finland and Sweden, according
to The Hill.
“At a moment
when Putin’s Russia has shattered peace and security in Europe, when autocrats
are challenging the very foundations of a rule-based order, the strength of a
transatlantic alliance and America’s commitment to NATO is more important than
it’s ever been,” the president added.
U.S. becomes 23rd NATO member out of 30 to approve Finland and Sweden membership
The Hill
reported that the United States became the 23rd NATO ally out of 30 members to
approve Finland and Sweden’s admission to the group.
Finland
shares an 800-mile border with Russia but Sweden only shares strategic interest
with Russia in the Baltic Sea which gives Russia’s naval forces access to the Atlantic.
U.S. Senate voted to admit Sweden and Finland into NATO
Last week
the U.S. Senate voted to approve membership request by Sweden and Finland to
join NATO.
The measure
passed 95-1, with one voting Present, up from the 67 votes needed in the
100-member Senate, Washington Examiner reported.
All 30
members of the security alliance must vote to clear Sweden and Finland.