SWEDEN

As Sweden and Finland moved toward applying for membership in NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they had expected no resistance.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to give a green light to a Turkish military offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria effectively abandons one of America’s closest allies in the fight against Islamic State to an uncertain future.

Moscow is scrambling to adjust to a new security picture in Europe brought about by its invasion of Ukraine, where fighting is ravaging the east.

With Finland and Sweden both announcing their bids to join the Western military alliance NATO on Sunday, all eyes are on how Russia will react.

Despite their orientation toward the US and western Europe, Finland and Sweden since the Cold War have bet that their national security was best protected by staying out of NATO. They had aimed to avoid disturbing the military balance in the Baltic Sea region and provoking Russia. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its demands to stop NATO expansion have now pushed both countries to seek entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

With its military bogged down in a grinding conflict in eastern Ukraine, Russia also lost diplomatic ground over the weekend as two more European nations moved closer to joining NATO. Finland announced Sunday that it was seeking to join the alliance, saying Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three months ago had changed Europe’s security landscape.

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The announcement came as NATO foreign ministers, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, met in Berlin to discuss Ukraine, and Finland and Sweden’s path to membership.

The Finnish Parliament is expected to endorse the decision in coming days.

The Finnish government officially announces its intention to join NATO. Less than three months after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the move is a stunning reversal of Finland's policy on military non-alignment dating back more than 75 years

A senior NATO official that Russia's military advance in Ukraine appears to be faltering as Russia's neighbor Finland announced it wants to join the Western military alliance.

Finland changed its policy toward the military alliance after troops invaded Ukraine. Sweden has avoided all military alliances, but like Finland, has also grown closer and closer to NATO over time.

With Finland and Sweden taking steps to join NATO, the list of “neutral” countries in Europe appears poised to shrink

With Finland and Sweden taking steps to join NATO, the list of “neutral” countries in Europe appears poised to shrink.

Finland’s government has declared a “new era” is underway as it inches closer to seeking NATO membership.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned his Finnish counterpart that relations between the two neighbors could be “negatively affected” if Finland follows through with plans to apply for NATO membership.

If Sweden and Finland join NATO, their membership would mark one of the biggest changes to the alliance in decades.

Sweden issued a security report on Friday that said Swedish NATO membership would "have a conflict-preventing effect in northern Europe."

Sweden and Finland are expected to apply to join NATO, but all member countries need to agree for them to be accepted.

Finland announced it is applying to join NATO and Sweden is expected to quickly follow.

Finland announced it is applying to join NATO and Sweden is expected to quickly follow.

It's less a question of how much the alliance would grow but where.

Finland's president and prime minister said they want their country to join NATO as fast as it can. Russia repeated its threats in response.

Finland's president and prime minister said they want their country to join NATO as fast as it can. Russia repeated its threats in response.

Finland appears on the cusp of joining NATO.

It’s likely to be the quickest NATO enlargement ever and one that would redraw Europe’s security map. Finnish leaders announced Thursday their belief that Finland should join the world’s biggest military organization because of Russia's war in Ukraine. Sweden could soon follow suit.

Finland's President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said their country should apply to join NATO 'without delay.'

The statement by the president and prime minister comes a day after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited both Finland and Sweden to sign a military cooperation agreement.

Finland’s leaders have come out in favor of applying to join NATO, and Sweden could do the same within days.

It would be a historic shift if they do and Russia is vehemently opposed to the change.

The Nordic nation has been considering joining the alliance in the wake of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Despite their orientation toward the U.S. and western Europe, Finland and Sweden since the Cold War have bet that their national security was best protected by staying out of NATO. They aimed to avoid disturbing the military balance in the Baltic Sea region and provoking Russia. Now, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a rethinking in both countries. For the first time, an entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization looks more likely than staying put at least for Finland. Sweden’s sta

The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner looks at the case for and against Finland and Sweden joining Nato.

Finland and Sweden need to join NATO now while Russia's Putin is focused on Ukraine, the alliance's former chief told CNBC.

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Finland could be about to announce that it's joining the military alliance NATO — in what would mark a dramatic U-turn for its foreign policy.

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Adding Russia’s Nordic neighbors to the alliance could well anger Vladimir Putin — but backing down would be even riskier.

Finland and Sweden have remained neutral, but they're now expected to apply for NATO membership in the coming weeks.

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In the spirit of Easter and all things pastel, Savannah Guthrie, Dylan Dreyer, Tom Llamas, and Craig Melvin share how their families celebrated Easter over the weekend. Carson Daly then shares a photo of Blake Shelton wearing a pink bunny suit holding a very scared Goldie.

Retired 4-star general and NBC News military analyst Barry McCaffrey joins Saturday TODAY to discuss where the war in Ukraine stands and if the Ukrainian military are getting the upper hand after sinking Russian flagship the Moskva. McCaffrey says “there’s zero chance of Russia effectively threatening the rest of NATO.”

Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, said Russia's warning was an "empty threat" given the apparent presence of Russian nukes in Kaliningrad.

Moscow would put nuclear arms near the Baltics and Scandinavia if Finland or Sweden join the alliance, ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said. The Kremlin didn't comment.

Moscow would put nuclear arms near the Baltics and Scandinavia if Finland or Sweden join the alliance, ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said. The Kremlin didn't comment.

Russia says that a nuclear-free Baltic region would no longer possible if Finland and Sweden joined NATO.

Despite their orientation toward the U.S. and western Europe, Finland and Sweden since the Cold War have bet that their national security was best protected by staying out of NATO. They aimed to avoid disturbing the military balance in the Baltic Sea region and provoking Russia. Now, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a rethinking in both countries. For the first time, about half the populations in both states supports joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Finland’s government un

Expanding NATO has been controversial in the past. What if you threw in a NATO-skeptical former president who could be running for his old job?

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Russia has lost influence and friends since the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1989.

Finland and Sweden have brushed off warnings from neighboring Russia that their possible joining NATO would trigger “serious military-political consequences” from Moscow.

Great Britain and Japan will face off Saturday night for the women's curling Olympic gold medal. Here's what to know about how both teams got here, and how to watch the game.

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Team USA will take on Great Britain and Sweden will face Canada in the semifinals of the men's curling tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

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Scores from around the ice in Session 5 of women's curling the 2022 Winter Olympics.

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Norway's Johannes Klaebo and Sweden's Jonna Sundling took home the gold medals in electrifying Olympic sprint finals under the lights at the National Cross-Country Centre on Tuesday.

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