US Senate backs Finland, Sweden's bid to join NATO

Washington, Aug 04: The US Senate has approved the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO Wednesday, strongly backing the expansion of the transatlantic alliance in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Senate voted 95 to 1 in favor of the two Nordic countries' accession, making the United States the 23rd of the 30 NATO countries to formally endorse it so far, after Italy approved it earlier Wednesday and France on Tuesday.

The sole opponent was Republican Josh Hawley, who argued that the US has to focus on protecting its homeland but also that Washington should concentrate on the challenge from China rather than Europe.

All 30 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization must agree if Finland and Sweden, officially non-aligned but longtime adjunct partners of the alliance, are admitted.

According to a NATO list, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey have yet to formally agree to their entry.

But in fact only Turkey has posed a challenge, demanding certain concessions from Finland and Sweden to back their memberships.

Joining NATO would be a huge shift for the two Nordic countries. Sweden has stayed out of military alliances for more than 200 years, while Finland adopted neutrality after being defeated by the Soviet Union in World War II.

Russia has repeatedly warned its Nordic neighbours that their joining the alliance would have negative repercussions. The Swedish prime minister warned citizens to brace themselves for potential disruptive moves by

Russia, including disinformation and attempts to intimidate and divide the country.