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1 1 (June 10, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govefwb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: a Congressional ____ A Research Service NATO: Finland and Sweden Seek Membership June 10, 2022 On May 18, 2022, Finland and Sweden applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO; see Figure 1). Prompted by growing security concerns about Russia and its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Finland's and Sweden's decisions mark a historic shift for these traditionally militarily nonaligned countries. The Biden Administration and many Members of Congress have responded positively to the prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO, arguing that the addition of these two mature democracies with advanced militaries will enhance security in the Baltic Sea region and the broader Euro- Atlantic area. NATO enlargement must be approved by all 30 current NATO members; U.S. approval requires Senate advice and consent. Finland and Sweden's NATO Aspirations Russia's 2022 war against Ukraine has upended decades of Finnish and Swedish security policy that sought to balance political, economic, and cultural ties to the West and relations with Russia. After the Cold War, Finland and Sweden joined the European Union (EU) and established close partnerships with NATO. Both Finland and Sweden have participated in numerous NATO operations and have capable military forces that are well integrated and interoperable with those of the alliance. Public support for NATO accession-and the added security of NATO's Article 5 mutual defense clause-has skyrocketed in both countries since Russia's invasion of Ukraine; recent polls indicate support at 76% in Finland and 58% in Sweden. Finnish and Swedish officials assert that their countries would be security providers, enhancing NATO capabilities and strengthening the alliance's defense posture in the Baltic region in particular. As called for by NATO, Finland already spends around 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, and Sweden has committed to increasing its defense spending to meet the 2% goal as soon as possible. Some analysts express concern that Finland and Sweden's accession could provoke Russia and question NATO's ability to defend Finland's 830-mile border with Russia (which would double NATO's overall borders with Russia). Finnish officials contend that Finland has long defended its own borders and would continue to do so as a NATO member. Finland and Sweden also have strong traditions of societal resilience and substantial experience dealing with Russian disinformation efforts, cyberattacks, and hybrid threats. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11949 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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