The US Senate approved a resolution ratifying the protocols for the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO after the historic decision of these two countries to renounce their neutrality due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, "AFP" reported.

The upper house of the US Congress approved the resolution overwhelmingly in a vote by senators from both parties, with 95 votes to one. For the adoption of the text, it was necessary that it be supported by at least two-thirds of those who voted.

The Biden administration strongly supported this ratification, which aims to demonstrate the Alliance's steadfastness in the face of Russian expansionism.

In the US, only the Senate has the right to ratify international agreements.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "tried to use the war in Ukraine to divide the West. Instead, today's vote shows that the alliance is stronger than ever," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said shortly before the vote.

• The protocols for the accession of the two Scandinavian countries to NATO were ratified on Wednesday by the parliaments of France and Italy.
• Together with the US, the countries that have ratified the future membership of Finland and Sweden in the alliance become 23 out of a total of 30. In order for the accession protocols to enter into force, they must be ratified by all countries that are members of the pact.

By becoming part of the organization, both parties will be able to benefit from Art. 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It provides for a joint response in the event of an attack against one of the members of the alliance.

Sweden and Finland's membership is still not guaranteed, however, because Turkey, has threatened to "freeze" the process, accusing the two Scandinavian countries of favoring the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its allies, which Ankara considers terrorist organizations.

Turkey, which has blocked both countries from joining NATO since May, signed a memorandum of understanding with them in June, tying membership to their fight against Kurdish movements and their supporters on its territory. In late July, however, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again threatened to block the process, accusing Sweden in particular of not "doing its part" in the fight against terrorism

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