EN
NATO membership has been widely debated in Finland and Sweden, so the North Atlantic Alliance might soon be confronted with an official membership application from one or even both countries. Hence the article examines NATO enlargement northwards in Europe and its consequences from the international perspective, focusing on key stakeholders’ potential reactions. While NATO is likely to welcome the new members, Russia’s hostile response is analysed with a view to outlining the scope of its potential reaction rather than predicting specific measures that might be taken by Moscow.