Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay, Finnish President and PM say

FILE PHOTO: Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (not pictured) hold a news conference, after signing a declaration between the UK and Finland to deepen their defence and security co-operation, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the Presidential Palace, in Helsinki, Finland, May 11, 2022. Lehtikuva/Antti Aimo-Koivisto via REUTERS/File Photo

Finland should submit an application to join the NATO military alliance, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in a joint statement on Thursday, a major policy shift triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay," Niinisto and Marin said in a joint statement.