OTTAWA — Canada has become the first country to ratify Sweden and Finland’s request to join NATO, bringing the two countries closer to full membership.

The Prime Minister’s Office says Justin Trudeau met with Finland’s president, Sauli Niinistö, and Sweden’s prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, at the NATO Summit last week.

In a statement, Trudeau says Canada champions the alliance’s open door policy for any European country in a position to “advance the commitments and obligations of membership.”

The Finnish and Swedish ambassadors submitted official letters of application to NATO on May 18, and Canada’s federal cabinet issued orders-in-council on May 26 authorizing the foreign affairs minister to ratify accession protocols for both countries.

The House of Commons also voted unanimously this spring to support the membership bids.

All 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids to the alliance countries for legislative approval.

Canada deliberately issued the orders-in-council on May 26 to speed through the ratification process and get it done within hours instead of the usual months.

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

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR