Russian neighbour Finland announces it wants to join NATO

A senior NATO official said Sunday that Russias military advance in Ukraine appears to be faltering and he expressed hope that Kyiv can win the war as Russias neighbour Finland announced it wants to join the Western military allianceTop NATO diplomats are meeting Sunday in Berlin to discuss providing further support to Ukraine and moves by Finland Sweden and others to join NATO in the face of threats from RussiaThe brutal invasion by Russia is losing momentum NATO DeputySecretary General Mircea Geoana told reporters We know that with the bravery of the Ukrainian people and army and with our help Ukraine can win this warThe president and government of Finland announced Sunday that the previously neutral Nordic country that shares a long border with Russia intends apply for membership in NATO paving the way for the 30member Western military alliance to expandPresident Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin made the announcement at a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in HelsinkiThis is a historic day A new era begins Niinisto saidThe Finnish Parliament is expected to endorse the decision in coming days but it is considered a formalityA formal membership application will then be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels most likely at the some point next weekGeoana who was chairing the meeting while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recovers from a COVID19 infection said Ukraines supporters were united we are strong will continue to help Ukraine in winning this warOne key issue being discussed in Berlin is expansion of NATO beyond its current 30 member statesSweden has also already taken steps toward joining the alliance while Georgias bid is again being discussed despite dire warnings from Moscow about the consequences if its neighbour becomes part of NATOFinland and Sweden are already the closest partners of NATO Geoana said adding that he expected allies to view their applications positivelyGerman Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said her country and others made clear during a dinner late Saturday that they would be willing to fasttrack the national ratification process for Finland and SwedenIf these two countries are deciding to join they can join very quickly she saidDenmarks foreign minister dismissed suggestions that objections from Russian President Vladimir Putin could hinder the alliance from letting in new membersEach and every European country has a fundamental right to choose their own security arrangement Jeppe Kofod told reportersWe see now a world where the enemy of democracy number one is Putin and the thinking that he represents he said adding that NATO would also stand with other countries such as Georgia which he said were being instrumentalised by RussiaOn the sidelines of the meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met earlier Sunday with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba to discuss the impact of the war and how to get Ukraines grain to international marketsState Department spokesperson Ned Price said Blinken underscored the United States enduring commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russias unprovoked warBritains top diplomat said NATO members would also discuss security issues beyond Europe during their meeting Sunday a reference to growing unease among democratic nations about the rise of ChinaAs well as protecting EuroAtlantic security we also need to watch out for IndoPacific security Foreign Secretary Liz Truss saidThe meeting follows a gathering of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading economies on Germanys Baltic Sea coast this weekOfficials there expressed strong support for Ukraine and warned that Russias blockade of grain exports from Ukrainian ports risks stoking a global food crisisThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever