US Senate Majority Supports Sweden And Finland Join NATO, Democratic Senators: Strengthen Alliance

The Secretary General of NATO shows the Swedish and Finnish applications. (Source: NATO)

JAKARTA - The United States Senate approved Finland and Sweden's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Wednesday, the most significant expansion of the 30-member alliance since the 1990s in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Senate voted 95 to 1 in favor of the ratification of the two countries' accession documents, easily surpassing the two-thirds majority of the 67 votes required to support the ratification of the two countries' accession documents.

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has repeatedly warned both against joining the alliance.

The 30 NATO allies signed an accession protocol for them last month, allowing them to join the US-led nuclear-armed alliance once its members ratify the decision.

At the time, Helsinki and Stockholm could participate in NATO meetings and have greater access to intelligence, but were not protected by Article Five, NATO's defense clause which states that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

The accession must be ratified by the parliaments of the 30-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization before Finland and Sweden can be covered by a defense clause.

Endorsement can take up to a year, although it has been approved by several countries, including Canada, Germany, and Italy.

Senators from both parties strongly supported the membership of the two countries, describing them as important allies whose modern militaries have worked closely with NATO.

"The qualifications of these two prosperous democracies are extraordinary and will strengthen the NATO alliance," said Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, urging support before the vote.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited ambassadors and other diplomats from Finland and Sweden to the Senate to witness the vote.

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Josh Hawley was the only one who didn't vote. Republican Senator Rand Paul chose to attend.