Finland and Sweden will be able to join NATO quickly should they decide to ask for membership in the Western military alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

“If they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed and I expect the process to go quickly. I will speak with the Finnish president later”, - Stoltenberg said.

As he added, he was sure arrangements could be found for the interim period between an application by the two Scandinavian countries and the formal ratification in the parliaments of all 30 NATO members.

“I am sure that there are ways to bridge that interim period in a way which is good enough and works for both Finland and Sweden”, - concluded Stoltenberg.