US backs Finland’s bid to join NATO, Russia threatened

The White House announced that the US would back the bids of the European countries who choose to join the NATO after Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced that Finland must apply to join the NATO military alliance “without delay”.

The White House said that the United States “would support a NATO application by Finland and/or Sweden should they apply”.

“We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days,” said Niinisto and Marin in a joint statement.

Finland’s announcement was supported among the Finnish public, with nearly three-fourths in favor in a recent poll. Finland’s neighbor Sweden is also considering joining NATO.