By Bradley Bowman, Ryan Brobst, Jack Sullivan, and John Hardie
In the two weeks since ambassadors from all NATO member states signed the accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance, approximately half of the member countries have now ratified the decision. But as countries such as Hungary, Turkey, and the United States still have yet to ratify, it is worth taking stock of how the alliance would benefit from adding the two Nordic countries.
Finland and Sweden will bring two relatively small but advanced militaries into NATO, adding significant military capabilities and augmenting the alliance’s ability to deter additional Russian aggression. And contrary to suggestions by opponents of NATO enlargement, the addition of the two countries would strengthen transatlantic security and decrease the probability of Russian aggression against the alliance.