President seals Finland's NATO bid by signing required laws

HELSINKI (AP) — The Finnish president on Thursday formally sealed the Nordic country’s historic bid to join NATO by signing into law the required national legal amendments needed for membership in the Western military alliance. The move by President Sauli Niinistö means Finland...

Swedish lawmakers vote to endorse country joining NATO

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Swedish lawmakers overwhelmingly voted Wednesday in favor of Sweden joining NATO, signing off on the country's membership along with the required legislation. The 349-seat parliament authorized Sweden’s accession to NATO in a 269-37 vote, with 43...

NATO to hold Ukraine meeting despite Hungary's objections

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that he would call a high-level meeting of the military organization’s main forum for cooperation with Ukraine next month despite objections from Hungary. The NATO-Ukraine Commission hasn't met at ministerial...

1st US Army garrison on NATO's east flank formed in Poland

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and U.S. officials attended a ceremony Tuesday to formally upgrade the U.S. military presence in NATO member Poland amid the war in neighboring Ukraine. There are more than 10,000 American troops stationed in the...

Long-serving Montenegro president to face newcomer in runoff

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — The long-serving incumbent will face a political newcomer in a runoff presidential election in Montenegro next month no one won in the first round of voting on Sunday held amid a political turmoil in the Balkan country, early projections showed. ...

Niinistö: Sweden security OK if Finland joins NATO first

HELSINKI (AP) — Sweden won't be in a vulnerable security situation even if Finland joins NATO first, the Finnish president said Sunday, as both Nordic membership candidates negotiate bilateral military pacts with the United States. "It is possible that Finland joins NATO before...

Turkey's president says he will back Finland's NATO bid

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his government would move forward with ratifying Finland’s NATO application, paving the way for the country to join the military bloc ahead of Sweden. The breakthrough came as Finnish President Sauli...

Turkey's president agrees to approve Finland's NATO membership application

Montenegro presidential vote seen as test of future policies

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro is preparing to hold a presidential election this weekend, a vote taking place amid political deadlock that has stalled the small NATO member's bid to join the European Union and questions about whether the Balkan country will align more closely with Serbia...

Slovakia, after Poland, agrees to give Ukraine Soviet jets

PRAGUE (AP) — Slovakia’s government on Friday approved a plan to give Ukraine its fleet of 13 Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, becoming the second NATO member country to heed the Ukrainian government's pleas for warplanes to help defend against Russia's invasion. Prime Minister...