NATO, Swedish and Finnish flags are seen in this illustration taken May 12, 2022.
The accession documents need to be ratified by all 30 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation members before Finland and Sweden can be protected by Article Five, the defense clause that states that an attack on one member is an attack against all. “They are ideal candidates for membership and will strengthen the alliance in countless ways,” Senator Bob Menendez, the committee’s Democratic chairman, said before the vote.
Ratification by every member is likely to take up to a year but in the meantime Helsinki and Stockholm can already participate in NATO meetings and have greater access to intelligence.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more: