The United States has become the 23rd ally to approve Sweden and Finland's NATO membership bid after President Joe Biden signed the U.S. Instruments of Ratifications of the two countries' Accession Protocols to the defense alliance. The Senate had overwhelmingly endorsed the NATO Accession Protocols last week.
The North Atlantic Council's approval of the applications for NATO membership requires ratification by the parliaments of all the countries of the 30-member bloc.
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Political News
April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.