PEKKA HAAVISTO

Senate Finland Sweden NATO FILE - Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a media conference after the signature of the NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, July 5, 2022. “Russia's unprovoked invasion has changed the way we think about world security," she added. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who visited Kyiv earlier this year, urged unanimous approval, and the vote was expected to near that. Sweden and Finland applied in May, setting aside their longstanding stance of military nonalignment. The process ran into unexpected trouble when Turkey raised concerns over adding Sweden and Finland, accusing the two of being soft on banned Turkish Kurdish exile groups.

Senate Finland Sweden NATO FILE - Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a media conference after the signature of the NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, July 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File) (Olivier Matthys)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Senate was set Wednesday to ratify NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, with overwhelming bipartisan support expected for quickly expanding the Western military alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, who visited Kyiv and the region earlier this year, urged a unanimous show of approval. If any senator is looking for a defensible excuse to vote no, I wish them good luck," the Senate Republican leader said. The U.S. and its European allies have rallied with newfound partnership in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression, strengthening the NATO alliance first formed after World War II.

Senate Finland Sweden NATO FILE - Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a media conference after the signature of the NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, July 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File) (Olivier Matthys)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Senate is set to ratify NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, a crucial step toward swiftly expanding the Western military alliance with a show of U.S. support in response to Russia's war with Ukraine. The U.S. and its European allies have rallied with newfound partnership in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression, strengthening the NATO alliance first formed after World War II. The process ran into trouble when Turkey raised concerns over adding Sweden and Finland, in part because it views the two countries as soft on banned Turkish Kurdish exile groups. On Wednesday, the Senate is expected launch several hours of debate, including on two amendments, before the final vote.

Belgium NATO Finland Sweden Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a media conference after the signature of the NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) (Olivier Matthys)HELSINKI — (AP) — Finland’s Parliament on Thursday passed amended legislation on border security that allows for the closure of crossing points with Russia amid fears that Moscow could choose to send large numbers of migrants to the frontier. The move by lawmakers came just two days after NATO's 30 members signed formal accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance — an outcome that has angered Russia. The changes would also allow Finland, a nation of 5.5 million, to build barriers and fences along the border with Russia if needed. But both Finland and Sweden decided to seek membership in the alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Finland’s Parliament has passed amended legislation on border security that allows for the closure of crossing points with Russia.

Belgium NATO Finland Sweden Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a media conference after the signature of the NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) (Olivier Matthys)BRUSSELS — (AP) — The 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals — and possible political trouble in Turkey. “This is truly a historic moment for Finland, for Sweden and for NATO,” the head of the alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, said. Securing parliamentary approval for the new members in Turkey, however, could still pose a problem even though Sweden, Finland and Turkey reached a memorandum of understanding at the Madrid summit. “It was a good signal not only to Sweden and Finland, but to other NATO countries that the speed of ratification is important,” he said.

The 30 NATO allies have signed off on the protocols needed for Sweden and Finland to become members.

When the leaders of Finland, Sweden and Turkey met with NATO’s chief this week, some remained pessimistic the meeting would lessen Turkey’s objections to the Nordic pair’s historic request to join NATO.

(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) (Bernat Armangue)MADRID — (AP) — Turkey agreed Tuesday to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, ending an impasse that had clouded a leaders’ summit opening in Madrid amid Europe’s worst security crisis in decades, triggered by the war in Ukraine. The decision has to be ratified by all individual nations, but he said he was “absolutely confident” Finland and Sweden would become members, something that could happen within months. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said the agreement was “good for Finland and Sweden. Turkey, in turn, agreed “to support at the 2022 Madrid Summit the invitation of Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO.”Details of exactly what was agreed were unclear. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is due to address NATO leaders by video on Wednesday, called the strike on the mall a “terrorist” act.

Turkey has agreed to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, a breakthrough in an impasse clouding a leaders’ summit in Madrid amid Europe’s worst security crisis in decades triggered by the war in Ukraine.

At a news conference in Washington with visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Blinken said the U.S. has no reason to believe Turkey’s concerns cannot be addressed. His comments came after Turkey's top diplomat said Finland and Sweden would have to take “concrete steps” before Ankara could support their membership. “The United States fully supports Finland and Sweden joining the alliance and I continue to be confident that both will soon be NATO members,” Blinken said. We hope that some results could be achieved before the NATO summit.”Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. “There is no doubt that we do need the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance in order to make it stronger," Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said.

At a news conference in Washington with visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Blinken said the U.S. has no reason to believe Turkey’s concerns cannot be addressed. His comments came after Turkey's top diplomat said Finland and Sweden would have to take “concrete steps” before Ankara could support their membership. “The United States fully supports Finland and Sweden joining the alliance and I continue to be confident that both will soon be NATO members,” Blinken said. We hope that some results could be achieved before the NATO summit.”Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. “There is no doubt that we do need the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance in order to make it stronger," Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he's confident Turkey’s objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO can be overcome swiftly.

Turkey Sweden Finland NATO FILE - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, participates in a media conference with Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. The Swedish and Finnish delegations met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal. Sweden has denied providing any “financial assistance or military support” to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria. “Sweden is a major humanitarian donor to the Syria crisis through global allocations to humanitarian actors,” Foreign Minister Ann Linde told the Aftonbladet newspaper.

Turkey Sweden Finland NATO FILE - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, participates in a media conference with Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File) (Olivier Matthys)ANKARA, Turkey — (AP) — Delegations from Sweden and Finland were scheduled on Wednesday to hold talks in Ankara with senior Turkish officials in an effort to overcome Turkey’s objections to their historic bids to join the NATO alliance. The Swedish and Finnish delegations are poised to take up Turkey’s grievances with Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal. Sweden has denied that it was providing any “financial assistance or military support” to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria. “Sweden is a major humanitarian donor to the Syria crisis through global allocations to humanitarian actors,” Foreign Minister Ann Linde told the Aftonbladet newspaper.

Sweden has denied it is providing any “financial assistance or military support” to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria — claims that Turkey’s using to back its opposition to Sweden’s and neighboring Finland’s historic bids to join NATO.

Finland Sweden Nato Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto signs a petition for NATO membership application in Helsinki, Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Sweden and Finland on Tuesday pushed ahead with their bids to join NATO even as Turkey insisted it won’t let the previously non-aligned Nordic countries into the alliance because of their alleged support for Kurdish militants. “We are looking forward to having a bilateral dialogue with Turkey but also having bilateral dialogues with other NATO countries during this process,” she said. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was traveling to Washington for meetings Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to Turkey’s state-run media, Sweden and Finland have refused to extradite 33 people wanted by Turkey.

Finland Sweden NATO FILE - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, participates in a media conference with Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Jan. 24, 2022. NATO membership was never seriously considered in Stockholm and Helsinki until Russian forces attacked Ukraine more than 10 weeks ago. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, the Western leader who appeared to have the best rapport with Putin before the Ukraine war, is expected to announce his stance on NATO membership on Thursday. If their answer is “yes,” there would be robust majorities in both parliaments for NATO membership, paving the way for formal application procedures to begin right away. Defense analysts say Finland and Sweden have modern and competent armed forces that would significantly boost NATO’s capabilities in Northern Europe.

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

Finland Sweden NATO FILE - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, participates in a media conference with Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Jan. 24, 2022. NATO membership was never seriously considered in Stockholm and Helsinki until Russian forces attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24. If Finland and Sweden join the alliance, Russia would find itself completely surrounded by NATO countries in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic. The Kremlin has warned of “military and political repercussions” if the Swedes and Finns decide to join NATO. Defense analysts say Finland and Sweden have modern and competent armed forces that would significantly boost NATO’s capabilities in Northern Europe.

The question of whether to join NATO is coming to a head this week in Finland and Sweden, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered the long-held belief that remaining outside the military alliance was the best way to avoid trouble with their giant neighbor.

"Security is really looked upon very differently today than just a couple of months ago," Sweden's ambassador to the US told Insider.

With Western military aid flowing into Ukraine, a Pentagon official said Russia’s assault on the Donbas is meeting strong resistance.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the military alliance would quickly welcome Finland and Sweden into the fold if they decided to apply.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has profoundly changed Europe's security outlook, including for Nordic neutrals Finland and Sweden, where support for joining NATO has surged to record levels. In neighboring Sweden, a similar poll showed those in favor of NATO membership outnumber those against. "The unthinkable might start to become thinkable," tweeted former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, a proponent of NATO membership. Support for NATO membership rises and falls, and there's no clear majority for joining in their parliaments. The YLE poll showed 53% were in favor of Finland joining NATO, with only 28% against.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has profoundly changed Europe's security outlook, including for Nordic neutrals Finland and Sweden, where support for joining NATO has surged to record levels. In neighboring Sweden, a similar poll showed those in favor of NATO membership outnumber those against. "The unthinkable might start to become thinkable," tweeted former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, a proponent of NATO membership. Support for NATO membership rises and falls, and there's no clear majority for joining in their parliaments. The YLE poll showed 53% were in favor of Finland joining NATO, with only 28% against.

Finland Ukraine Invasion President of Finland Sauli Niinisto speaks during the press conference after the NATO Summit at the official Presidential residence Mantyniemi in Helsinki, Finland, Friday Feb. 25, 2022. (Seppo Samuli/Lehtikuva via AP) (Seppo Samuli)HELSINKI — (AP) — Finland and Sweden have brushed off warnings from neighboring Russia that their possible joining of NATO would trigger “serious military-political consequences” from Moscow for the two countries. I don't see anything new as such" in the statement delivered by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Haavisto said. In Sweden, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson addressed Moscow’s statement in a joint news conference Friday with Sweden’s military commander Micael Byden. Though not members, Finland and Sweden closely cooperate with NATO, allowing, among other things, the alliance’s troops to exercise on their soil.

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

APTOPIX Europe Russia Ukraine NATO NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, participates in a media conference with Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. “What this is about is reassurance to our NATO allies," Kirby said. Russia denies it is planning an invasion, and says the Western accusations are merely a cover for NATO's own planned provocations. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was NATO and the U.S. who were behind the escalating tensions, not Russia. Germany has issued no similar order, with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressing that “we must not contribute to unsettling the situation further."

While Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin didn't break any laws, critics said her behavior was irresponsible.

Ethiopia's prime minister won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. Now, international observers say his government could be participating in war crimes.

Ethiopian and allied forces from neighboring Eritrea have been accused of atrocities while pursuing fighters supporting Tigray's former leaders. It is not clear from Haavisto’s remarks this week which Ethiopian officials made the comments about wiping out ethnic Tigrayans. “When I met the Ethiopian leadership in February they really used this kind of language, that they are going to destroy the Tigrayans, they are going to wipe out the Tigrayans for 100 years and so forth," the envoy said. And I think that’s very obvious, that we have to react, because it looks for us like ethnic cleansing. In comments shortly after those February meetings, Haavisto had warned that the crisis in Tigray appeared to be spiraling out of control.

A European Union envoy says Ethiopia’s leaders told him in closed-door talks earlier this year that “they are going to wipe out the Tigrayans for 100 years.”.

In this handout photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during his talks with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. Lavrov blamed the European Union for a freeze in ties and argued that Moscow remains ready to mend relations. Just as EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was visiting Russia earlier this month, Moscow announced the expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden for attending protests in support of Navalny. Haavisto emphasized the EU's strong criticism of the Russian action, noting that the EU diplomats were fulfilling their duty while observing the protests. “Our relations with the EU don't matter when it comes to that,” Lavrov said.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides, left, speaks with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, second right, during a meeting of European Union foreign ministers at the European Council building in Luxembourg, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. European Union foreign ministers were weighing Monday whether to impose sanctions on Russian officials and organizations blamed for the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with a Soviet-era nerve agent. (Jean-Christophe Verhaegen, Pool via AP)BRUSSELS – European Union foreign ministers agreed Monday to impose sanctions on Russian officials and organizations blamed for the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with a Soviet-era nerve agent. “It was a complete acceptance by all member states,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after the talks. Last week, tests conducted at labs designated by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed that Navalny was the victim of a Novichok nerve agent.

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland decided late on Tuesday to lower buffer requirements of its banks, attempting to boost the slowing economy, as the country prepared to close its borders as part of the response to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo, Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka attend the news conference on coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Helsinki, Finland March 17, 2020. Lehtikuva/Mikko Stig via REUTERSFinland will start restricting traffic over its borders on Thursday, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said. Indispensable work-related traveling will still be possible and continues within EU borders, Ohisalo told a news conference. Permanent residents would be allowed to return and foreign travelers permitted to leave Finland, Ohisalo said.

Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo, Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka attend the news conference on coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Helsinki, Finland March 17, 2020. Lehtikuva/Mikko Stig via REUTERSHELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland will start restricting traffic over its borders on Thursday in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said. Indispensable work-related travelling will still be possible and continues within EU borders, Ohisalo told a news conference. Permanent residents would be allowed to return and foreign travellers permitted to leave Finland, Ohisalo said. Travelling abroad should be avoided and the restrictions were valid until April 13, the government said, with passenger railway traffic between Finland and neighbouring Russia ending on Wednesday .

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland will start heavily restricting traffic over its borders on Thursday in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said. Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo, Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka attend the news conference on coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Helsinki, Finland March 17, 2020. Indispensable work-related traveling will still be possible and continues within EU borders, Ohisalo told a news conference. Passenger railway traffic between Finland and neighboring Russia will end tomorrow, it added. Going forward, we consider it important that we can assess whether it will be necessary to restrict exports of drugs and medical gear, social affairs and healthcare minister Aino-Kaisa Pekonen added.