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Sweden and Finland could join NATO in ‘next few months’, US ambassador to alliance tells Sky News | World News


The US ambassador to NATO said the military alliance was trying to expedite the process to ensure Sweden and Finland’s participation in the “next few months”.

Speaking to Sky News political editor, Beth Rigby, Julianne Smith said in recent weeks NATO members have “come together to try and look at ways they can reduce the timelines around this process”, which could see the two countries being admitted to a military alliance.

Ms Smith said the process had previously taken “more than a year”, but added that “all the allies agreed that the process needed to be expedited”.

“Ideally, I think we’d like to see it completed in a few months. That’s the goal,” she told Sky News’ The Beth Rigby Interview Program.

Finland and Sweden have officially applied to join NATO in a “historic moment” fueled by security concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Applications will now be reviewed by the 30 member states of the military alliance.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed reservations on the participation of Finland and Sweden.

Announcing the move after receiving their letter, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “This is a historic moment, which we must seize.

“I warmly welcome your requests Finland and Switzerland join NATO. You are our closest partner and your membership in NATO will strengthen our shared security. “

The entire membership process usually takes about 8 to 12 months, but with the threat of RussiaIt is reported that the two Nordic countries could become members within months if their applications are approved quickly.

Recalling this sentiment, Ms Smith told Rigby that although Turkey had expressed concerns, she was “quite confident that we will find a way through this” that would see both Finland and Switzerland Sweden was admitted to the military alliance.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith speaks during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Russia said on Tuesday that several units took part in the drills. will begin returning to their bases, raising hopes that the Kremlin may not have an impending invasion of Ukraine plans, although it did not give details on the withdrawal.  (AP Photo / Virginia Mayo) PIC: AP
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US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith says the process of admitting a country previously took ‘more than a year’

Asked if the two countries’ apps could be quickly tracked, Ms. Smith said: “Yes, so in recent weeks the allies have come together to try and look at ways they can do it. can reduce the timelines around this process.

“There are a number of steps involved. There’s something called an accession protocol, which all allies have to sign here at NATO, and two new members will sign it too.

“Getting that signature would have to go through something called accession negotiations.

“Once the protocol is actually signed, every member of the alliance has to ratify the agreement, which can take some time and you’ve been right in the past, we’ve seen cases where that that process took up to a year, but given the situation on the ground in Ukraine, the fact that we have a war going on on European territory, I think all the allies agree that This process needs to be expedited.”

Asked if Turkey could be an obstacle in this process, with all NATO members having to agree to a new country joining, Ms. Smith confirmed that Turkey has went ahead to express some “specific security concerns”, but added: “I think we will eventually see Sweden and Finland join the alliance in the not too distant future.”

“Everything NATO does has to be by consensus,” she said.

“You have to have 30 allies vote on it. So we have 73 years of experience working to overcome allied differences. And for that reason, I’m also pretty confident personally that we are. will find a way through this.”

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Finland since World War II has maintained a policy of neutrality towards Russia, with which it shares a border of 830 miles (1,340 km). Neighboring Sweden, which shares a maritime border with Russia, is also traditionally neutral.

For decades, both countries thought joining NATO would be an unnecessary provocation by Moscow.

However, public opinion in both countries has massively changed in favor of membership since Russia invaded. Ukraine on February 24th.

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Their applications will first be considered during a meeting of the 30 member-nation North Atlantic Council (NAC), possibly at the ambassadorial level.

Seeking to move the membership process, the Swedish Defense Minister has arrived in Washington and will be followed by Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto later this week.

Both countries rejected warnings from Russia that joining NATO would have “serious political and military consequences”.

On Monday, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin said he has no problem with Finland and Sweden, but warned Moscow will react with the expansion of military infrastructure on its territory.

Beth Rigby Interview live at 9pm every Thursday on Sky News.



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