VIDEO: Finland and Sweden Officially Submit Applications to Join NATO

Ambassadors of Finland and Sweden to NATO have officially submitted their countries' applications to join the alliance to the Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The online ceremony for the submission was broadcast by the alliance's press service.

Stoltenberg stated that NATO welcomes the applications of Sweden and Finland to join the alliance and intends to ensure that all necessary issues are resolved as soon as possible. He emphasized that NATO will now focus on adapting its security framework in the Baltic States, according to TASS.

“I warmly welcome the request from Sweden and Finland to join NATO. The applications you have submitted today are a historic step. The alliance will now discuss the next steps following NATO’s procedure. We must take into account the security interests of all countries, and we are determined to resolve all issues and achieve a swift completion of the acceptance process,” he said.

It should be noted that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov recently stated that Russia will not accept Finland and Sweden's membership in NATO, urging the West not to harbor illusions on this occasion.

“The overall level of military tension is rising, while predictability in this area is decreasing. It is regrettable that common sense is sacrificed for some phantom notions of what to do in the emerging situation,” the diplomat highlighted.

“How Russia will begin to ensure its security after the change in the NATO configuration is a separate question. The solution will depend on what specific consequences the accession of the two countries will have on the North Atlantic alliance,” Ryabkov added.