NATO Chief Says Sweden, Finland Could ‘Easily Join’ Its Ranks If They Apply

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gestures as he addresses media representatives at a press conference following a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 7, 2022. François Walschaerts/AFP via Getty Images

If Finland and Sweden decide to apply for NATO membership, all allies of the defensive alliance would quickly welcome both Nordic countries, said NATO’s top civilian official.

“It’s for them to decide of course, but if they apply, I expect that all allies will welcome them,” Jens Stoltenberg told a Wednesday news conference in Brussels. “We know that they can easily join this alliance if they decide to apply.”