NATO’s leadership formally invited Sweden and Finland to become members of the military bloc on Wednesday after Turkey’s president signaled that he wouldn’t block their bids.
“Today we have decided to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO, and agreed to sign Accession Protocols,” NATO said in a declaration following meetings in Madrid, Spain. “The accession of Finland and Sweden will make them safer, NATO stronger, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will not block the two nations from joining the alliance if they meet his demands. Earlier this year, both Sweden and Finland announced their intentions to join NATO after Russian forces invaded Ukraine….