NATO leaders formally invite Finland and Sweden to become members

NATO leaders formally invited Finland and Sweden to become members of the military alliance Wednesday during a summit in Madrid.

“Today we have decided to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO, and agreed to sign Accession Protocols,” the alliance reportedly said in a declaration. “In any accession to the Alliance, it is of vital importance that the legitimate security concerns of Allies are properly addressed.”

The news comes less than 24-hours after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had reversed his opposition to expanding the alliance in the wake of Russia’s deadly war in Ukraine.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.