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LAPPEENRANTA, Finland (AFP) — A crowd of people gathers in the Eastern Finnish city of Imatra on a bridge overlooking Imatrankoski rapids, one of the Nordic country’s most well-known natural attractions. At the same time every day, the river’s almost century-old dam is opened and water rushes under the bridge, to the sound of music by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It is a popular attraction especially for Russian tourists. Even Catherine the Great, Empress […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed US ratification of bids by Finland and Sweden to enter NATO, taking expansion of the Western alliance in response to Russia’s Ukraine invasion one step closer. Biden said the two northern European countries would become “strong, reliable highly capable new allies” by making the “sacred commitment” to mutual defense in the US-led transatlantic alliance. Earlier this month, the Senate voted 95-1 in favor of […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Senate ratified the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO Wednesday, strongly backing the expansion of the transatlantic alliance in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Senate voted 95 to 1 in favor of the two Nordic countries’ accession, making the United States the 23rd of the 30 NATO countries to formally endorse it so far, after Italy approved it earlier Wednesday and France on Tuesday. […]
by Elias Huuhtanen Agence France-Presse LAPPEENRANTA, Finland (AFP) — Buses of Russian tourists stream into Finland at Nuijamaa border crossing in the country’s southeast, some hoping to enjoy the peaceful Finnish summer and others planning to travel further into Europe. Finland may be seeking NATO membership following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, but the Nordic country remains Russia’s only EU neighbor to grant tourist visas to Russian citizens. “I have travelled here for 12 years,” 37-year-old […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Senate on Tuesday took its first step towards bringing Sweden and Finland into NATO, with bipartisan support for the new alliance members following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. All 30 members of NATO must ratify the accession of the two Nordic countries, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week again threatened to freeze their bids despite his assent during a summit in late June in Madrid. The Senate […]
“Fastest accession process in NATO’s history so far,” says NATO’s Stoltenberg by Marc BURLEIGH and Alex PIGMAN Agence France Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — NATO on Tuesday kicked off momentous accession procedures for Sweden and Finland, aiming to expand the military alliance to 32 countries in reaction to Russia’s war in Ukraine. “This is an historic day, for Finland, for Sweden, for NATO, and for Euro-Atlantic security,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said after protocols were […]
MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday told Sweden and Finland that he could still block their drives to join NATO if they fail to implement a new accession deal with Ankara. Erdogan issued his blunt warning at the end of a NATO summit at which the US-led alliance formally invited the Nordic countries to join the 30-nation bloc. The two nations dropped their history of military non-alignment and announced plans […]
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AFP) — Russia has “no problem” if Finland and Sweden join NATO, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. “We don’t have problems with Sweden and Finland like we do with Ukraine,” Putin told a news conference in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat. “We don’t have territorial differences,” the Russian leader continued. “There is nothing that could bother us about Sweden and Finland joining NATO. If Finland and Sweden wish to, they can […]
by Max Delany with Benoit Finck in Kremenchuk Agence France-Presse MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Western allies vowed on Tuesday to boost NATO’s defenses and to back Ukraine to the end as Moscow demanded Kyiv’s surrender. As NATO leaders gathered in Madrid for a summit, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said Finland and Sweden would be formally invited to join NATO after Turkey lifted its block on their bids. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had stubbornly refused […]
by Alma COHEN Finland and Sweden are to discuss their stalled NATO bids with Turkey in Brussels on Monday, but hopes are fading they will be able resolve their dispute before an alliance summit next week, experts say. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was to meet with representatives from the three countries to try to make progress on the Nordic nations’ membership applications, which have been blocked by Ankara. “I think it is possible but […]
HELSINKI, Finland (AFP) — Shaken by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland is rushing to beef up security on its border with Russia in order to protect itself from hybrid threats, the interior ministry said Friday. Fearing that Moscow could use migrants to exert political pressure, Helsinki plans legislative amendments that would facilitate the construction of sturdier fences on its 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) eastern border with Russia. “The aim of the proposed law is to improve […]
HELSINKI, Finland (AFP) — Russia on Saturday stopped providing natural gas to neighbouring Finland, which has angered Moscow by applying for NATO membership, after the Nordic country refused to pay supplier Gazprom in rubles. Following Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has asked clients from “unfriendly countries” — including EU member states — to pay for gas in rubles, a way to sidestep Western financial sanctions against its central bank. Gazprom said in […]
