Tag Archives: Sweden

LIVE VIDEO: Biden And NATO Applicants Hold Presser

The Guardian reports: NATO is on the cusp of adding two new members to the mutual defense alliance and Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson of Sweden and President Sauli Niinistö of Finland are meeting Joe Biden at the White House to discuss the security of Europe. The two Nordic nations say they’ve been forced into the decision by Russia’s invasion of …

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Erdogan Posts Video On Planned “No” Vote To NATO

Reuters reports: Turkey has told allies that it will reject Sweden and Finland’s membership to NATO, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in a video posted on his Twitter account on Thursday. Finland and Sweden formally applied on Wednesday to join U.S.-led NATO, a decision spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkey’s objections have come as a surprise to the other …

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Turkish President Blocks Start Of NATO Expansion Talks

The Washington Post reports: Turkey blocked the start of Finland and Sweden’s accession talks to NATO on Wednesday shortly after the Nordic nations submitted their formal applications, a signal of what could be a bumpy process to expand the alliance and reshape Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture. Turkey’s resistance deprived Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the consensus he needed to …

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Finland And Sweden Sign Applications To Join NATO

Politico Europe reports: The ink was still drying on Sweden and Finland’s applications to join NATO on Tuesday when Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö arrived at the royal palace in Stockholm in a horse-drawn carriage. Niinistö’s state visit is seen as a potential bookend over accession by the two Nordic states into the Western defense alliance. Earlier Tuesday, in front of …

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Turkey Hardens Stance Against Expansion Of NATO

The Associated Press reports: 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. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strongly worded objections caught the two applicants and other NATO members off guard, complicating what …

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Russia Says It “Won’t Put Up With” Expanding NATO

Reuters reports: Russia said on Monday that the West should have no illusions that Moscow will simply put up with the Nordic expansion of the U.S.-led NATO military alliance to include Sweden and Finland, casting the move as a mistake that would stoke military tension. “They should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it – and …

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Sweden’s Ruling Party Approves Applying To NATO

Reuters reports: Sweden’s ruling Social Democrats said on Sunday they backed the country joining NATO, abandoning decades of opposition in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and creating a large parliament majority in favour of membership.  With neighboring Finland already set to hand in its application, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson [photo] is now all but certain to launch a …

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Finnish President Confirms Plan To Join NATO [VIDEO]

Reuters reports: Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto confirmed on Sunday that his country would apply for membership of the NATO military alliance, in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moscow, which shares a 1,300 km (800 mile) border with Finland, has said it would be a mistake for Helsinki to join the 30-strong transatlantic alliance and that …

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Turkey May Veto Finland And Sweden Joining NATO

The Associated Press reports: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his country is “not favorable” toward Finland and Sweden joining NATO, indicating that Turkey could use its status as a member of the Western military alliance to veto moves to admit the two countries. “We are following developments concerning Sweden and Finland carefully, but we are not of …

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Finland To Seek NATO Membership “Without Delay”

The BBC reports: Finland’s president and prime minister have called for the country to apply for Nato membership “without delay”. The move comes amid a surge in public support for Nato membership following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moscow said Finland’s move was a threat to Russia and the further expansion of Nato would make Europe less stable and secure. Finland …

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UK Inks Mutual Defense Pact With Sweden And Finland

The BBC reports: The UK has agreed to mutual security pacts with Sweden and Finland, agreeing to come to their aid should either nation come under attack. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited both countries to sign the deals, amid debate about them joining Nato. The pacts also state that Finland and Sweden would assist the UK in a crisis. …

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Decision Near On Finland And Sweden Joining NATO

The Associated Press reports: To join or not to join? The NATO question 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. NATO membership was never seriously considered in Stockholm and …

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Finland And Sweden To Jointly Decide On Joining NATO

The New York Times reports: Finland and Sweden will work closely together on deciding whether and when to join NATO, their foreign ministers said at a news conference on Friday, emphasizing the close ties between the two Nordic countries but stopping short of saying definitively that they would join the alliance or act simultaneously. It is “very important” that the …

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Russia Vows To Move Nuclear Weapons To Baltic Sea Region If Finland And Sweden Decide To Join NATO

The Washington Post reports: Russia warned Finland and Sweden on Thursday that if they join NATO, Moscow will reinforce the Baltic Sea region, including by deploying nuclear weapons. Dmitry Medvedev, a Putin ally who serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Thursday that NATO expansion would lead Russia to strengthen air, land and naval forces to “balance” military …

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Finland And Sweden Could Join NATO By This Summer

CNN reports: Finland and Sweden could soon join NATO, moves that would likely infuriate Moscow and that officials say would further underscore Russia’s strategic error in invading Ukraine. NATO officials told CNN that discussions about Sweden and Finland joining the bloc have gotten extremely serious since Russia’s invasion, and US senior State Department officials said the matter came up at …

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Denmark, Italy, Sweden To Expel Russian Diplomats

Politico Europe reports: Italy is to expel 30 Russian diplomats, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced on Tuesday during a visit to Berlin. He said the move was “for national security reasons.” Also Tuesday, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod tweeted: “Denmark will expel 15 Russian intelligence officers working at the Russian embassy in Copenhagen. They pose a threat to our …

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Russia Threatens Sweden And Finland On Joining NATO

Newsweek reports: Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has said that Moscow would have to respond if Sweden and Finland intended to join NATO. Maria Zakharova held a press conference on Friday and reflected on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the intentions of Russia going forward. A clip of her speech has begun to go viral on social media as she …

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Nazi Group Joins Massive Anti-Vax Protest In Stockholm

The Associated Press reports: Thousands of people gathered in European capitals Saturday to protest vaccine passports and other requirements governments have imposed in hopes of ending the coronavirus pandemic. Demonstrations took place in Athens, Helsinki, London, Paris and Stockholm. In Sweden, where vaccine certificates are required to attend indoor events with more than 50 people, demonstrators marched though central Stockholm …

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New ABBA Album Outsells Entire UK Top 40 Combined

The BBC reports: Abba singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad has said “don’t be too sure” that their comeback album Voyage is their last, in her first interview about the reunion. The Swedish superstars released the LP, their first for 40 years, on Friday. It is on course to be the fastest-selling album of the year so far and outsold the rest of …

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Climate Change Scientists Share Nobel Prize In Physics

From the Nobel Prize Committee: Complex systems are characterised by randomness and disorder and are difficult to understand. This year’s Prize recognises new methods for describing them and predicting their long-term behaviour. One complex system of vital importance to humankind is Earth’s climate. Syukuro Manabe demonstrated how increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere lead to increased temperatures at …

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