NATO Nations Sign Accession Protocols for Sweden, Finland

BRUSSELS (AP) — The 30 NATO allies have signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals.

The move further increases Russia’s strategic isolation in the wake of its invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February and military struggles there since.

The 30 ambassadors are to formally approve the decisions of last week’s NATO summit when the alliance made the historic decision to invite the two to join the military club.