US, UK And Germany Promise Support As Sweden, Finland Submit NATO Bids

Soon after Sweden and Finland submitted their bids to join NATO on Wednesday, allies Germany and US extended their full support and announced measures to bolster security in the Baltics.

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German chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the German military will perform war drills with both nations.

“We will intensify our military cooperation, especially in the Baltic Sea region and through joint exercises. Both countries can always rely on our support, especially in this very special situation,” Scholz was quoted as saying by Swedish news agency The Local.

Helsinki and Stockholm shed their military non-alignment status fearing that they could be facing Russian aggression following Russian president Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

NATO ambassadors will discuss the applications on Wednesday and open formal talks with both nations regarding their bids.

Not only Germany but the UK also offered security assurances to Finland and Sweden before they formally came under NATO.

Sweden’s ambassador to Nato, Axel Wernhoff, together with his Finnish colleague Klaus Korhonen said that it was a good day and ‘a critical moment’ for the security of both nations as they submitted the two countries’ indication letters to NATO.

US Visit

Finnish president Sauli Niinistö and Sweden prime minister Magdalena Andersson will travel to Washington DC to discuss among other things Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership. Both of them will meet US president Joe Biden.

Earlier this week, veteran Republican leader Mitch McConnell told Niinistö that he hopes the US will vote on Finland’s NATO membership application within the quickest possible time.

Republican senators John Barrasso, Susan Collins and John Cornyn were also present in Helsinki. They also met prime minister Sanna Marin.

Meanwhile, US and other allies have expressed hope that they will be able to persuade Turkey from vetoing against the entry of Sweden and Finland in the military bloc.

“The security interests of all allies have to be taken into account and we are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions,” Stoltenberg said without naming Turkey.

Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) said that both Niinistö and Andersson will discuss with US president Joe Biden the issues surrounding Turkey and its displeasure over Sweden joining the military bloc.

(with inputs from The Local and The Daily Finland)

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