Finland confirms it is applying to join NATO to 'maximise' country's security
In response, Finland's leader told Mr Putin the invasion of Ukraine had changed the country's security environment.Following the announcement, Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said applications from both countries are"very important" and"will strengthen the whole Nordic region".
An expansion of the 30-country military alliance would be a blow to Mr Putin, who undertook the war in, what he said was, a bid to thwart its easterly advance.The announcement came as a meeting of NATO foreign ministers took place in Berlin, where the Ukraine war and expanding the alliance were discussed.Speaking at the meeting, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said"there was strong support" for a"more global NATO".
"At NATO this weekend, we agreed we must continue to help Ukraine win and push Russia out. Putin must face a sustained defeat in Ukraine, Russia must be contained and such aggression must never happen again," she added. "NATO's open-door policy is essential and if Finland and Sweden decide to apply to join it is clear that they would strengthen the alliance and European security as a whole."On Saturday, Turkey raised objections to the two Nordic countries' potential requests, saying both of them are"openly supporting and engaging" with the outlawed Kurdish militant group PKK and"terrorist organisation" YPG.
However, NATO's deputy-secretary general Mircea Geoana said he was"confident" that the alliance will be able to address Turkey's concerns and welcome all the countries to find"conditions for consensus to be met".
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