France Ratifies Sweden and Finland's NATO Bids

The French Parliament has ratified the accession protocols of Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Yael Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly, wrote in an official document published Wednesday.

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After a debate, both bills ratifying the protocols passed with 209 deputies in favor and 46 against on Tuesday, the National Assembly said on its website.

Amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, "Finland and Sweden have decided in their own sovereignty that their security will be better ensured by joining the Atlantic Alliance. It is their choice, we respect it, and we will support it," French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Tuesday during the session at the French National Assembly.

Sweden and Finland need the ratification of NATO's 30 member countries to have the protection of the alliance in line with NATO's Article 5.

Finland and Sweden's NATO bids were initially blocked by Türkiye, which accused them of supporting anti-Türkiye groups as they rejected Ankara's extradition requests for suspects affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Gulen Movement.

In early July, the two Nordic countries completed accession talks at NATO's headquarters in Brussels and the 30 allies signed their accession protocols, which then go to all NATO countries for ratification, according to their national procedures.

Among the countries that have ratified the NATO accession protocols for Finland and Sweden so far are Canada, Estonia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, United Kingdom, Albania, Poland, Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia, The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Bulgaria, Germany. , Romania, Lithuania, Montenegro, Belgium, and North Macedonia, as reported by outlet Daily Finland.