US Senate Secures Votes to Advance Finland, Sweden NATO Membership Applications

Washington (US), August 4: The US Senate is set to pass a resolution ratifying the applications of Finland and Sweden to join NATO, allowing the Biden administration to submit ratification documents to the alliance.
Senators passed the resolution in a vote of 95-1-1 on Wednesday with opposition coming from Republican lawmaker Josh Hawley. Senator Rand Paul voted "present" and three other lawmakers did not vote. The resolution required support from two-thirds of the chamber to pass.
US President Joe Biden said he is looking forward to signing the Senate-approved NATO accession protocols for Finland and Sweden.
The Biden administration will now submit documentation approving the applications of Finland and Sweden to NATO from the United States' end. So far, 23 of 30 NATO member states have approved Finland and Sweden's bids to join the alliance.
Turkey, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have yet to formally approve Finland and Sweden's applications.
Paul prior to the vote on Wednesday argued that neutral nations can serve a valuable role as mediators on the international stage. The Senate rejected an amendment to the resolution by Paul to ensure NATO's Article Five commitments do not replace the role of Congress to formally declare war.
Hawley on Monday in an op-ed explained his opposition to Finland and Sweden's NATO membership. Namely, the lawmaker argued that the US ought to refocus military commitments away from Europe and Russia and towards Asia and China.
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer before the passage vote praised the resolution and the bipartisan effort that went into it advancing it.
Russia will provide a mirror response to threats emerging from the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, Deputy Russian Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in July.
Source: Sputnik