Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (center), Paivi Nevala, minister counselor of the Finnish Embassy (left) and Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden's ambassador to the U.S. pose for a photo just before U.S. senators voted to ratify the entry of Sweden and Finland into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, at the Capitol in Washington D.C., U.S., August 3, 2022. /CFP
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday ratified the entry of Sweden and Finland into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a vote of 95 to 1.
It makes the U.S. the 23rd of the 30 NATO countries to formally endorse it so far, after Italy approved it earlier Wednesday and France on Tuesday.
President Joe Biden hailed the Senate's quick ratification process – the fastest since 1981.
"This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan U.S. commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our Alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow," Biden said in a statement.
Senators from both parties described the two countries as important allies whose modern militaries already worked closely with NATO.
"The qualifications of these two prosperous, democratic nations are outstanding and will serve to strengthen the NATO alliance," said Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, urging support before the vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited the ambassadors and other diplomats from Finland and Sweden to the Senate to watch the vote.
Republican Senator Josh Hawley was the lone no vote. Republican Senator Rand Paul voted present.
Flags of Finland, NATO and Sweden before a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 5, 2022. /CFP
All 30 members of the NATO must agree if Finland and Sweden, officially non-aligned but longtime adjunct partners of the alliance, are admitted.
According to a NATO list, seven member countries have yet to formally agree to the new double-entry: the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey.
Only Turkey has raised a challenge, demanding certain concessions from Finland and Sweden to back their memberships.
Ankara has demanded the extradition of dozens of government opponents it labels "terrorists" from both countries in exchange for its support.
Turkey said on July 21 that a special committee would meet Finnish and Swedish officials in August to assess if the two nations are complying with its conditions.
(With input from agencies)