Deputy head of NATO confident in a positive decision on the membership of Finland and Sweden

“Last night we were joined by the Foreign Ministers of Finland and Sweden.

We know and respect the democratic procedures in these countries.

If they decide to seek NATO membership, I am sure that the allies will constructively and positively consider the issue of their entry into the alliance, ”RIA Novosti quotes Joana as saying before an informal meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers in Berlin.

According to him, Finland and Sweden are already NATO's closest partners.

He added that both countries contribute to Euro-Atlantic security.

Earlier, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö told Russian leader Vladimir Putin during a telephone conversation that his country intended to join the North Atlantic Alliance.

Finnish Minister of State Property and Relations with the EU Tytti Tuppurainen said that the Finnish authorities are ready for "all sorts of unpleasant measures" from Russia because of the country's plans to join NATO.