JAKARTA - Poland will help Sweden and Finland, if they are attacked before gaining North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday.
"I consider the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO as an important signal to strengthen security in Europe," he told a conference.
"I want to make it clear that in the event of an attack on Sweden or Finland during the accession (process), Poland will help them," he stressed.
As previously reported, Finland and Sweden officially signed up to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance on Wednesday, considering Russia's invasion of Ukraine despite Turkey's objections, with the accession process expected to take only a few weeks.
Neutral during the Cold War, Sweden and Finland's decision to join NATO was one of the most significant changes in Europe's security architecture for decades.
The move also reflects a major shift in public opinion in the Nordic region since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
"This is a historic moment, one that we must seize," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a brief ceremony in which the Swedish and Finnish ambassadors to the alliance submitted their applications, each on a white folder bearing the national flag of each country.
"I warmly welcome Finland and Sweden's request to join NATO. You are our closest partner, and your membership in NATO will enhance our mutual security," Stoltenberg continued.
The Alliance considers that the accession of Finland and Sweden will greatly strengthen and enhance its capabilities in the Baltic Sea.
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