US Senate building. File photoWASHINGTON, Aug 4 The US Senate approved the ratification of the accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to NATO, according to the voting results. Ninety-five senators voted in favor of the resolution, with a required threshold of 67 votes. Only one legislator spoke out against. Now the head of state, Joe Biden, will have to sign the relevant documents on the accession of the two countries to NATO and send them to the alliance.The Kremlin called the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO a formal stepBiden himself, as reported in the White House, welcomed the decision of the Senate and said that he was «looking forward to signing the protocols» on the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO. «The United States remains committed to the security of Sweden and Finland. We will continue to remain vigilant together against any possible threats to our joint security,» the president added. Thus, the United States added to the list of more than 20 countries whose legislatures have already ratified documents on NATO expansion. In July, US President Joe Biden sent protocols on the accession of the two Scandinavian countries to NATO to the Senate for consideration. In accordance with the established procedure, ratification is directly carried out by the head of state, but before that the legislature must give its consent to this step. Finland and Sweden abandoned their long-term neutrality and requested membership in the North Atlantic Alliance shortly after the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine. Moscow, however, did not once emphasized that the purpose of the alliance is confrontation. According to presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, further expansion of the bloc does not promise Europe greater security. The Foreign Ministry also reminded that Russia remains open to dialogue with the North Atlantic Alliance, but on an equal footing, and the West must abandon its policy of militarizing Europe. />The National Assembly of France voted for the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO
