Finland and Sweden apply, and accession protocols are signed

What happened

Finland's and Sweden's ambassadors hand their countries' membership applications to the Secretary General on 18 May 2022. Accession talks conclude on 4 July and Allies sign both accession protocols on 5 July, giving the two states invitee status pending national ratification.

The applications are the largest single change to the geography of this module since 2004, and the twenty-one months between them and Sweden's accession are the period in which the Nordic and Baltic theatres were still institutionally separate. The module's northern arena is built on what this decision started.

Confidence: High