Finland more encouraged to join NATO without Sweden

Finland begins its final debate in parliament on NATO membership, without waiting for the approval of Türkiye and Hungary.

Nor is Helsinki waiting for neighbouring Sweden, which has also been a candidate since last year but is currently facing a Turkish veto, according to Euronews.

The government of outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin wants to avoid any potential political vacuum, with elections due on April 2.

"We would have hoped to become members of Nato already. Finland and Sweden fulfil all the criteria, as has been mentioned, and we are yet to wait. And of course, this strains the open-door policy of NATO; it's also to do with Nato's credibility," Marin said.

The 200 members of the Finnish parliament, the Eduskunta, are due to begin debating the NATO accession bill, with a vote.

The outcome is not in doubt: in a preliminary vote last May there was near-unanimous support, including from parties which had previously been opposed to joining the military alliance. Only a handful of far-left and far-right MPs are expected to vote against it.