[Brussels, 12th Archyde.com]–Allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) expect Finland and Sweden to apply for membership in the near future and are expected to approve membership promptly. Five diplomatic sources and officials have revealed.
During the one-year ratification process, countries will increase their troops in the Nordic region, increase military exercises in the Baltic Sea, and may send US and British troops via Finland and Sweden.
Finland and Sweden will not be subject to NATO’s collective defense clause, which considers an attack on an ally as an overall attack, until the parliaments of all 30 member states approve this decision.
In the wide Nordic region, Norway, Denmark and the Baltic states are already members of NATO.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö will announce his position on the 12th and is likely to be seen as an official confirmation of the accession decision.
The Swedish ruling party is expected to decide on the 15th whether to overturn decades of opposition to NATO accession. Parliament is in parallel reviewing security policy by all parties and will report on the 13th.
Diplomatic sources and officials said the application for accession to Sweden and Finland was certain to be approved at or before the NATO summit scheduled for June 28-30 in Madrid.