Finland will apply to join NATO despite Russian president Vladimir Putin 's grave warning that it would be a mistake.
President Sauli Niinisto confirmed his country would submit an application for the military alliance in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow, which shares a 1,300 km (800 mile) border with Finland, has said it would be a mistake for Helsinki to join the transatlantic alliance and that it would harm bilateral ties.
