President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed the documents that sealed United States approval of Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO, making the U.S. the 23rd ally to sign off on the countries’ membership in a reproach of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin.

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed the documents that sealed United States approval of Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO, in a reproach of Russia

  • Before Putin’s invasion into Ukraine, both Finland and Sweden had avoided military alliances

  • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization commits its current 30 member countries to mutual defense against an attack on any one member

  • Biden on Tuesday said NATO was "stronger than ever" and that Vladimir Putin is "getting exactly what he did not want"

Before Putin’s invasion into Ukraine, both Finland and Sweden had avoided military alliances. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization commits its current 30 member countries to mutual defense against an attack on any one member. 

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but as the country increasingly turned toward the West, Russia sought to block its neighbor from that shift and a potential bid to join the alliance.

“Putin thought he could break us apart when this all started,” Biden said Tuesday. “Instead he's getting exactly what he did not want.”

Biden signed the document approving Finland and Sweden’s membership at the White House on Tuesday, with the vice president and the two countries’ ambassadors standing behind him.

AP Photo

The U.S. has led NATO countries in assistance to Ukraine, committing $9.8 billion since Biden took office, with another $1 billion military aid package announced Monday.

“Today, we see all too clearly how NATO remains an indispensable alliance for the world of today and the world of tomorrow,” Biden said.

“Our alliance is closer than ever. It is more united than ever. And when Finland and Sweden bring the number of allies to 32, we’ll be stronger than ever.”

The U.S. senate approved Finland and Sweden’s membership in a 95-1 vote last week.

Speaking to the Senate before the vote, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell cited Finland’s and Sweden’s well-funded, modernizing militaries and their experience working with U.S. forces and weapons systems, calling it a “slam-dunk for national security” of the United States.

Seven more countries must sign off before the two countries become official members. Turkey has originally opposed their joining, but the country’s president backed off after negotiations before a critical NATO summit in June.

The 30-country political and military alliance provides members with a forum to coordinate on defense and security-related issues to solve problems and prevent conflict, with the goal being peaceful resolution. If those efforts fail, the countries have military power to carry out operations, with a commitment to collective defense of one another.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.