Finnish President Sauli Niinisto attends a meeting to sign Finland's national NATO legislation in Helsinki, Finland, on March 23, 2023. (PHOTO / FINNISH GOVERNMENT / HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
HELSINKI – Finland's President Sauli Niinisto on Thursday signed into law his country's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which was ratified by parliament on March 1.
This act formally sealed the Nordic country's historic bid to join the military alliance.
Next, Finland will submit its NATO membership-related documents to the US administration once Türkiye and Hungary ratify its membership bid.
Last Friday, during Niinisto's visit to Türkiye, the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that Ankara would begin the process of ratifying Finland's bid.
ALSO READ: Türkiye endorses Finland's NATO bid, but Sweden 'must wait'
According to Turkish media reports cited by the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat, the foreign affairs commission of the Turkish parliament approved Finland's NATO membership on Thursday, after which the discussion of Finland's NATO membership will be brought to parliament's general assembly.
Hungary's parliament is expected to vote on Finland's membership bid next Monday, Helsingin Sanomat said.
READ MORE: Erdogan indicates Türkiye to ratify Finland's NATO bid
All 30 NATO allies must sign off on the accession protocols of new members. To date, 28 member states have done so.