Stoltenberg’s Finland Statement: Today is a historic day

The accession process of Finland, which applied together with Sweden to join NATO during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, has come to an end.

Stoltenberg, in a press release before the meeting, said: “Today is a historic day. Because in a few hours we will welcome Finland as the thirty-first member of our Alliance. This will make Finland more secure and NATO stronger. And just today, in 1949, the Treaty of Washington, the Treaty establishing NATO, was signed in Washington. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary than with Finland as a full member of the Alliance,” he said.

Emphasizing that he will meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba today at the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting, Stoltenberg said that a longer-term program will be developed to help and support Ukraine.

The Secretary General also made a statement regarding the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting: “We will address a wide range of security issues, including the fight against terrorism, as well as those originating from the Middle East and North Africa.” .

On today’s program of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Finland’s accession ceremony to NATO is expected to take place.

HOW DOES THE NATO MEMBERSHIP PROCESS WORK?

The NATO accession process begins with preparatory/harmonization meetings between the NATO Secretariat and the authorities of the candidate country on issues such as legislative infrastructure, personnel and legal process.

The process continues after the relevant country formally notifies the NATO Secretary General of its membership request and the Allies decide to initiate the membership negotiation process.

With the start of the negotiations, the process of signing the Accession Protocol by each Allied country begins, after the approval of the draft accession protocol of the participating country in the NATO Council.

After each Ally completes its national ratification procedures, each Allied country must send its ratification document to the United States, which is the custodian of the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty.

The candidate country is invited to join the North Atlantic Treaty by the United States, after the candidate country notifies the Allies and the NATO Secretary General of the entry into force of the Accession Protocol.

The ratification document of the country joining NATO to join the North Atlantic Treaty is sent to the US as custodian.