Russia-Ukraine war latest news: Putin ‘willing to consider’ halting attacks on civilians, says France – live | World news | The Guardian
In further evidence that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is radically changing European views, a survey for the Finnish public broadcaster YLE has found a majority of the country’s population is in favour of joining Nato for the first time.
According to the poll, conducted last week over three days before and immediately after the attacks with a representative sample of nearly 1,400 people, 53% of Finns would now support Finland’s accession to Nato, with 28% opposed and 19% unsure.''
''Russia’s invasion has also increased support for Nato membership in Sweden, with a survey commissioned last week by Swedish public broadcaster SVT showing 41% in favour and 35% opposed. The Finnish poll suggested that if Sweden applied to join the alliance, support for Finnish membership would rise to 66%.
Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian empire for more than a century until 1917, shares a 1,340km (833 miles) border with
Russia, the longest of any EU state. Though not members, Finland and Sweden closely cooperate with Nato, allowing, among other things, the alliance’s troops to exercise on their soil.
Helsinki and Stockholm have also substantially intensified their bilateral defense cooperation in the past years, and secured close military cooperation with the United States, Britain and neighbouring Nato member Norway.''
Russia warned last week that if either country sought to join the alliance they would face “serious military-political consequences” from Moscow''
️Japan joins Western sanctions against Russia's Central Bank.
