Biden supports Finland, Sweden’s NATO applications

President Biden supported Finland and Sweden's applications to join NATO on Wednesday, while also warning to Russia that the U.S. would help defend the countries in the interim before they become members of the alliance covered by its commitment that an attack on one is as an attack on all. While their applications for NATO membership are being considered, the United States will work with Finland and Sweden to keep an eye on our shared security and deter and confront aggression or threats to our shared security. Mr. Biden's pledge is not a treaty or even an executive agreement committing the United States to come to the aid of both countries. Instead, it amounts to what is known as a declaratory policy, a declaration of the President's intent.

There are other examples of such policies: several presidents have pledged to make North Korea pay a price when it is caught exporting nuclear fuel to a foreign power through similar declarations.