ADRIAN FLORIDO, HOST:
Leaders in Finland today announced their intention to become part of NATO. The decision follows Russia's invasion of Ukraine and reverses a policy of neutrality that's been in place since the end of World War II. Neighboring Sweden is expected to follow suit in the coming days. That would make Russia the only non-NATO nation in the Arctic, prompting fears of retaliation by Moscow. NPR's international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam reports.
JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: With its vast frozen tundra and inhospitable environment, there's always been a certain mystique to the Arctic.
