Expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as calling on all members of NATO to ratify the protocols of accession swiftly.

Whereas Finland and Sweden have made a historic decision to deepen their security ties with the transatlantic community; Whereas a more resilient security architecture in Europe advances democracy, human rights, and values consistent with the North Atlantic Treaty, hereinafter referred to as NATO; Whereas, on April 4, 1949, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States formed NATO to serve as a defensive alliance based on promoting democratic values and the peaceful mediation of disputes; Whereas NATO membership is open to any other European state in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area Whereas Finland and Sweden are European states committed to democratic values and the peaceful resolution of disputes; Whereas Finland and Sweden have been members of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program since 1994 and have contributed to NATO-led operations in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq; Whereas NATO established the Partnership Interoperability Initiative at the Wales Summit in 2014 to develop military-to-military interoperability between select partner nations enabling them to contribute to future crisis management, including NATO-led operations; Whereas Finland and Sweden were designated inaugural Enhanced Opportunities Partners at the Wales Summit in 2014; Whereas the hard-fought post-World War II European security architecture has been upended by the Russian Federation’s cruel full-scale invasion of Ukraine which began on February 24, 2022; Whereas Russia’s invasion has fomented the worst European humanitarian crisis since World War II with 6,000,000 people fleeing Ukraine and 10,000,000 more internally displaced within Ukraine; Whereas Finland and Sweden’s populations expressed support for NATO membership; Whereas Finland and Sweden’s highly capable militaries are interoperable with NATO forces and would increase and fortify NATO’s collective security by increasing the security and stability of the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe; Whereas Finland and Sweden are two nations with a strong democratic foundation that share the transatlantic community’s dedication to democratic principles and the rule of law; Whereas Russian Government officials have issued threats directed at Finland and Sweden should they exercise their sovereign right to apply for NATO membership; Whereas despite these threats from Russia, Finland and Sweden’s national institutions have reviewed their policies of military nonalignment and their governments and parliaments have expressed support for applying for NATO membership; and Whereas in the best interests of their respective peoples, the European security architecture, the rule of international law, and democracy in Europe, Finland and Sweden have announced their support for NATO membership: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) expresses support for Finland and Sweden’s sovereign and historic decision to apply to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); (2) recognizes that Finland and Sweden’s sovereign and historic decision to apply to NATO is reflective of the will of those respective governments’ peoples; (3) urges all members of NATO to meet the 2-percent defense spending pledge as agreed upon during 2014 Wales Summit; (4) opposes any attempt by the Russian Government to obstruct Finland and Sweden’s sovereign and historic decision to apply to join NATO; (5) recognizes that the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO requires all 30 Allies to sign and ratify protocols of accession; and (6) calls on the member states of NATO to formally support the accession of Finland and Sweden into the transatlantic alliance.

Summary: This resolution expresses support for Finland and Sweden's historic decision to apply to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The resolution also opposes any attempt by the Russian government to obstruct Finland and Sweden's decision to apply to join NATO. Finally, the resolution calls on the member states of NATO to formally support the accession of Finland and Sweden into the transatlantic alliance.