{O/C} An epochal shift in the political landscape in Europe is in store now that both Finland and Sweden, originally non-aligned, are due to join NATO to cement its power.
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{Soundbite} SAULI NIINISTO, Finnish President: As a result of that, we have today, a historic day.
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The boot appears to be on the other foot given both Finland's and Sweden's intention to join the trans-Atlantic alliance backing Ukraine in its torturous fight against Russia.
At a NATO meeting, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg promised the alliance would expedite the process of incorporating the non-aligned nations into NATO despite Turkish worries. He also expressed confidence that success will beat a path to Ukraine's door.
{Soundbite} JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO Secretary-General: They are now in the final stages of their processes. If Finland and Sweden apply and join NATO then that will be a historic moment for Europe, for Finland, Sweden, for NATO, and for a whole transatlantic bond. Ukraine can win this war. Ukrainians are bravely defending their homeland.
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Despite the burgeoning fighting talk between Russia and Finland in Moscow's effort to strike fear into the Finnish government, Finland's Prime Minister was far from intimidated.
{Soundbite} SANNA MARIN, Finnish Prime Minister: Everything has changed when Russia attacked Ukraine. And I personally think that we cannot trust anymore that there will be peaceful future next to Russia with our own.
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Finland's membership application is expected to have the country's parliament's full backing. It will then be officially submitted to NATO's headquarters in Brussels next week.
Sweden is also joining the ranks after the governing Social Democratic Party endorsed the decision to become a member of the alliance.
Both Finland and Sweden notably ditched their neutral status by joining the EU back in 1995. Their decisions to join NATO this week came amid threats of war from Moscow.
Meantime, the European Union's oil embargo is currently being put on hold after a small group of countries dependent on Russian oil, such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, followed Hungary's lead by opposing it.
Still, the European Commission maintained a ban on Russian oil imports was entailed, with Lithuania's Foreign Minister crying foul, accusing certain member states of holding the entire union hostage.
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