Finland and Sweden submit applications to join NATO

Finland and Sweden simultaneously handed in their official letters of application to join NATO on May 18.

The letters were conveyed by the Finnish Ambassador to NATO, Klaus Korhonen, and, respectively, the Swedish Ambassador to NATO, Axel Wernhoff, to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Alliance’s Brussels headquarters, according to TASS.

Secretary Stoltenberg warmly welcomed the requests, saying "this is a good day, at a critical moment for our security."