The Next Steps For Finland, Sweden As They Prepare To Join NATO

Sweden and Finland were approved to join NATO, but there are still some requirements the bloc needs to meet before they become official members.

The annual NATO summit wrapped up in Madrid Thursday, sharing a look at just how fast-tracked Sweden and Finland’s applications to join the military alliance might be and how that might impact sky-high tensions between Russia and the Western world.

"Before the war started, I told Putin that if he invaded Ukraine, NATO would not only get stronger, but would get more united," President Joe Biden said. 

For a little recap, the two Nordic nations were formally invited on Wednesday to join the alliance. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said they will launch the process of ratifying the planned NATO membership of Sweden and Finland this week and will conclude it “very quickly.”