Finland will formally join NATO in the 'coming days,' after the country was able to clear its final hurdle, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says.
Share to TwitterBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned that Russian strategic nuclear weapons could be deployed in his country, according to The Associated Press.
Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus. Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya told the Security Council that the decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus does not violate international obligations. Nebenzya added that Russia has repeatedly called on the U.S. to return all its nuclear arsenals from Europe to U.S. territory.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin directly pointed out that we are not transferring nuclear weapons. We are talking about the transfer of the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system to the Republic of Belarus, the re-equipment of aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force and the training of crews, the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons at territory of Belarus," Nebenzya said.
"Their membership will make Finland safer and NATO stronger. Finland has highly capable forces, advanced capabilities and strong democratic institutions. So Finland will bring a lot to our alliance," Stoltenberg said in a statement Friday.-ABC News' Will Gretsky
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