Rose Gottemoeller: Finland and Sweden NATO application a strategic defeat for Russia
The former Deputy Secretary General of NATO spoke to Forces News about the significance of Finland and Sweden's decision.
The former Deputy Secretary General of NATO spoke to Forces News about the significance of Finland and Sweden's decision.
The decision by the two Scandinavian countries to join the security alliance is a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Military personnel from 14 countries have gathered on the Estonia-Latvia border.
In 1949, the primary aim of the creation of NATO was to create a pact of mutual assistance in response to the threat from the Soviet Union.
The historic shift comes after more than 200 years of military non-alignment in the Nordic country.
The Ministry of Defence also said Russia is "unlikely to dramatically accelerate its rate of advance over the next 30 days".
It comes after Putin warned Finland's President relations between the two countries could be "negatively affected" if Finland joined NATO.
The alliance's deputy secretary-general said Russia's invasion is "losing momentum".
Putin warned his Finnish counterpart relations between the two neighbours could be "negatively affected" if Finland joins the alliance.
Turkey's President said his country is "not favourable" towards the Nordic nations joining the alliance.
Finland's 800-mile border with Russia would more than double the length of the alliance's border with the country.
The training is part of multinational manoeuvres taking place across eastern Europe.
Finnish leaders' announcement comes less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to the country.
Both Sweden and Finland are signing mutual security assurances with the UK to tackle traditional, hybrid and cyber threats.
NATO says about 30 allied aircraft are in the air at any one time along the alliance's eastern flank as the war in Ukraine continues.
Defence Secretary reportedly wrote to Chancellor to warn the NATO spending target was in jeopardy but had received no reply.