France's President Emmanuel Macron signs NATO membership protocols for Finland and Sweden

In the midst of the ruthless war between Russia and Ukraine, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron has recently inked the protocols for Finland and Sweden to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). According to The Kyiv Independent, Macron said, "This sovereign choice of Finland and Sweden, two European partners, will reinforce their security in the face of a real menace in their immediate neighborhood."

On August 3, France's National Assembly (lower house of parliament) approved the protocol for Finland and Sweden's NATO membership. This comes as all NATO members are obligated to ratify Finland and Sweden's membership before it can take effect, Tass reported. More than 20 of the alliance's 30 member nations have already done so.

US supports Finland and Sweden joining NATO

Moreover, near-unanimous bipartisan support from United States senators has been given to Finland and Sweden joining NATO. On August 4, they called this a "slam-dunk" move for US national security and a day of consequence for Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine, the Associated Press reported.  

NATO and its 73-year-old deal of mutual defence among the US and democratic allies in Europe took a significant action toward the expansion on Wednesday, August 3, with a 95-1 vote, for the candidacy of two Western European countries that, prior to Russia-Ukraine war, had long avoided military alliances. 

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, asked the ambassadors of the two countries to watch the vote from the Chamber gallery. 

As per the Associated Press report, US President Joe Biden has been a key figure in securing financial and material backing from across the world for Ukraine. He has pushed for the two formerly non-aligned northern European countries to gain admission quickly. 

In almost three months after the two Northern European countries applied for the bid, the approval of their candidacies has been ratified by more than half of the NATO members. Further, it moves at a rapid pace to convey a message to Russia over its six-month conflict with the pro-Western government of Ukraine. 

Finland and Sweden submitted applications to join NATO on May 18, but, Turkey immediately halted the process, demanding that these nations label Kurdish organisations terrorists, extradite those to Ankara with the suspicion of terrorism or involvement in the failed coup of 2016, and lift sanctions on the export of weapons to Turkey.  

The Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Sweden, as well as Finland on June 28 signed a memorandum that removes barriers to the joining of the two nations to NATO. However, Ankara later stated that it was not final and that the Turkish parliament might not endorse it if Stockholm and Helsinki did not uphold their obligations to combat terrorist organisations. 

(Image: AP)