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INSIGHTi
NATO: Finland and Sweden
Seek Membership
Updated February 14, 2023
On June 29, 2022, heads of state and government from NATO’s 30 member states (see Figure 1)
unanimously agreed to invite Finland and Sweden to join the alliance. Finland and Sweden formally
applied for membership on May 18, 2022, prompted by heightened security concerns about Russia after
its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Finland’s and Sweden’s applications marked a historic shift for these
traditionally militarily nonaligned countries. The Biden Administration and many Members of Congress
support Finland and Sweden joining NATO, arguing that the addition of these two mature democracies
with advanced militaries will enhance security in the Baltic Sea region and the broader Euro-Atlantic
area. In August 2022, the Senate approved a resolution supporting NATO accession for both countries,
and President Biden signed protocols formalizing U.S. approval. As of February 13, 2023, all but two
NATO members—Hungary and Turkey—had ratified amendments to NATO’s founding North Atlantic
Treaty to allow Finland and Sweden to join the alliance.
Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO Aspirations
Russia’s war against Ukraine has upended decades of Finnish and Swedish security policy that sought to
balance political, economic, and cultural ties to the West and relations with Russia. After the Cold War,
Finland and Sweden joined the European Union (EU) and established close partnerships with NATO.
Both Finland and Sweden have participated in numerous NATO operations and have technologically
advanced militaries that are interoperable with NATO. Public support for NATO accession—and the
added security of NATO’s “Article 5” mutual defense clause—has skyrocketed in both countries since
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; local polls indicate support at 76% in Finland and 59% in Sweden.
U.S. officials from the Departments of State and Defense concur with Finnish and Swedish assertions that
the two countries would be “security providers,” strengthening NATO’s defense posture in the Baltic
region in particular. Finland is expected to exceed NATO’s 2% GDP defense spending target in 2022, and
Sweden intends to meet the 2% goal by 2026.
Some analysts have expressed concern that Finland’s and Sweden’s accession could provoke Russia and
question NATO’s ability to defend Finland’s 830-mile border with Russia (which would double NATO’s
overall borders with Russia). Finnish officials contend that Finland has long defended its own borders and
would continue to do so as a NATO member. Finland and Sweden also have strong traditions of societal
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resilience and substantial experience dealing with Russian disinformation efforts, cyberattacks, and
hybrid threats.
Russia’s Reaction
Russia has long opposed closer integration between NATO and Finland and Sweden. Immediately prior to
Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications, Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated, “Russia will be forced to
take retaliatory steps, both of a military-technical and other nature, in order to neutralize the threats to its
national security that arise from this.” Subsequently, Russia has publicly played down the situation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Finnish and Swedish accession pose “no direct threat for
Russia” but emphasized that “expanding military infrastructure” could be viewed as a threat and could
“provoke a response.”
NATO’s Accession Process and Current Status
Since NATO’s creation in 1949, the alliance has grown from 12 founding members to today’s 30
members through eight rounds of enlargement. On July 5, 2022, allied governments signed protocols to
the North Atlantic Treaty to allow the accession of Finland and Sweden. As of February 13, 2023, all but
two of NATO’s 30 members had ratified the amended treaty. Hungary is expected to complete its
ratification process in February or March 2023. Turkey’s government continues to delay ratification in
Turkey’s parliament, mainly due to dissatisfaction with Sweden’s efforts to fulfill commitments in a June
2022 trilateral agreement concluded to gain Turkey’s support for the formal start of NATO’s accession
process. The agreement addressed concerns raised by Turkey about Finland’s and Sweden’s perceived
support for terrorist groups, especially those linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (or PKK, a U.S.- and
EU-designated terrorist organization).
Both Sweden and Finland maintain that they are fulfilling their obligations. Swedish officials note, for
example, progress on stricter anti-terrorism laws and a decision to resume issuing licenses for defense
exports to Turkey. Turkey continues to press Sweden, however, to grant Turkish extradition requests and
take a harder line against pro-Kurdish groups.
Some experts assess that Turkey will ultimately approve Finnish and Swedish NATO accession, but most
likely not until after Turkey’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, expected in May 2023
(although a delay is possible following the devastating earthquakes in early February 2023). Finland and
Sweden hope that both Turkey and Hungary will approve their accession before NATO’s July 2023
summit.
Role of Congress and U.S. Policy
In the United States, once NATO members sign accession protocols, the Administration sends them to the
Senate for its advice and consent as part of the ratification process (See CRS Report 98-384, Senate
Consideration of Treaties). President Biden submitted accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to the
Senate on July 11, 2022. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported favorably on the resolution of
ratification in July 2022, and the full Senate approved it on August 3, 2022, by a vote of 95-1. President
Biden signed the accession protocols for both Finland and Sweden on August 9, 2022, completing the
U.S. approval process. In the 117th Congress, the House passed a resolution of support for Finland and
Sweden’s NATO accession (H.Res. 1130). In February 2023, a group of 29 Senators sent a letter to
President Biden asserting that Turkey’s continued delay in approving Finnish and Swedish NATO
accession “threatens the Alliance’s unity at a key moment in history.”
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President Biden has committed to help “deter and confront any aggression” against Finland and Sweden
during the period before accession. U.S. officials have not provided specifics on U.S. security assurances,
which may include an increased U.S. military presence and more joint training exercises.
Figure 1. NATO Countries and Aspirants
Source: CRS Graphics. Map updated June 2022.
Notes: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine are also formal aspirants for NATO membership.
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Author Information
Kristin Archick
Andrew S. Bowen
Specialist in European Affairs
Analyst in Russian and European Affairs
Paul Belkin
Analyst in European Affairs
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
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as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the
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