Finland, Sweden into NATO is a foregone conclusion

Finland has announced it will start work on joining NATO, and Sweden is expected to follow suit on Monday. Despite claims from the Kremlin that this was a major threat to Russia, the Finnish president said Putin had brought this on himself. However, international military experts say that a new cold War of the 21st century is likely as the U.S. and Russia are facing off against each other.

Fighter jets roared through the sky, and then paratroopers dropped in for a rehearsal landing.

NATO is conducting a large-scale military exercise in its new member state north Macedonia. Nearly 10,000 soldiers from 19 countries are participating in the exercise.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MAJOR General PeterB. Andrysiak, deputy commander of U.S. Forces IN Europe and Africa, SAYING: “This is certainly a show of NATO solidarity with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.”

To counter Russia, NATO now needs not only to unite but to expand its alliance.

“Finland’s prime minister and president, in a low-key two-paragraph joint statement, said joining NATO would strengthen Finland’s defenses,” CNN reported.

Finnish president Saudi Niinisto saying: “Joining NATO is not against anyone. If you ask why, my answer is that you (Russia) made it happen.”

The Finns share the Finnish government’s view that joining NATO will teach Moscow a lesson.

Helsinki citizen: “The good news is about time that Finland can decide for itself without Being told what to do by Russia.”

Helsinki citizen: “It’s Putin’s fault, almost three months into the war, the suffering of the Ukrainians, and everything.”

In fact, as well as Finland, another Nordic country, Sweden, could begin applying for NATO membership as early as next week.

Swedish secretary general of the Swedish defence association, AnnaWieslander, saying: “there is an opportunity on Monday to decide, after all this is something that the government can decide, they can basically meet and decide whether they want to join NATO or not.”

NATO is about to get two new members. The White House is excited, but the Kremlin is jumpy.

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) KREMLIN SPOKESMAN DMITRY PESKOV saying: “Everyone wants to avoid direct conflict between Russia and NATO, and again, NATO expansion will not make us more stable and secure.”

However, military experts predict that the prolonged war in Ukraine will lead to a shift in the international trend, and the polarization between the United States and Russia will become more and more obvious, leading to the “Cold War 2.0” of the 21st century.