Or so you would think from President Biden’s celebration today at the White House of Sweden and Finland officially submitting their applications to join NATO, with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finish President Sauli Niinisto at his side at the White House. Biden called NATO “the strongest, most powerful defensive alliance in the history of the world.”
NATO had proved itself an indispensable alliance, “but in recent years, doubts began to arise. Was NATO still relevant? Was it still effective? Is it still needed in the 21st-century world?
“Today, there is no question: NATO is relevant, it is effective, and it is more needed now than ever. The indispensable alliance of decades past is still the indispensable alliance for the world we face today and, I would argue, tomorrow as well. This is about the future. It’s about a revived NATO that has the tools and resources, the clarity and conviction to defend our shared values and lead the world.”
After proclaiming that NATO will “lead the world,” Biden proclaimed “the full, total, complete backing of the United States of America” for these two once-neutral nations joining.
What security guarantees have been given to Finland and Sweden while their request to join NATO is approved by the alliance’s member states, has not been made public, and may still be under negotiation. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was asked, in his appearance at Wednesday’s White House press briefing, whether the assertion in the U.S. statement welcoming Finland and Sweden’s application to NATO that “while their applications for NATO membership are being considered, the [U.S.] will work with Finland and Sweden to remain vigilant against any threats to our shared security, and…deter and confront aggression,” meant that the U.S. is extending the NATO security umbrella over those countries while their applications are in process.
Sullivan answered: NATO’s Article 5 (an attack on one is an attack on all) “only kicks in once all 30 Allies have ratified the accession protocols and they become full-fledged members of the Alliance. But the United States is prepared to send a very clear message, as are all of our European allies, that we will not tolerate any aggression against Finland or Sweden during this process. And there are practical measures that we can take along those lines that Secretary Austin will coordinate with his counterparts in both Finland and Sweden.”
