He then went on to say: “Both Finland and Sweden already meet the criteria for joining the defense alliance. Finnish and Swedish NATO membership will contribute to collective defense and strengthen North Atlantic security.”

He also said: “We will further strengthen our Nordic defense co-operation. Our military forces work well together, and have trained together for many years. We greatly appreciate the significant contributions that Finland and Sweden have already made as partner countries in NATO”.

He finished with: “Sweden and Finland have the right to apply for membership in NATO without any attempt at outside interference. The Nordic region threatens no one and will continue to be a region of low tension, who want to live in peace with their neighbors.”

While President Macron did make a separate statement, he did say he fully supports the accession of the Scandinavian pair to NATO. However, he did not say whether or not French troops would ensure their security during the application process.