US President Joe Biden will meet with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Washington on Thursday to discuss their NATO membership bids.

The United States is supporting the two countries’ efforts to join the Western defense alliance. If they succeed, NATO will increase to 32 members. The two Nordic countries formally applied for NATO membership out of fear of Russian occupation.

Turkey, on the other hand, has opposed the two countries’ applications, accusing them of harboring anti-Turkish extremists.

But Britain and several other NATO countries have offered security guarantees to Finland and Sweden as their applications are reviewed, pledging to help in the event of an attack.

“I strongly welcome and support historic applications from Finland and Sweden for NATO membership,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday.