Both Finland and Sweden are now taking the next steps to begin the application process for NATO membership starting late next month. Two different Norse media outlets broke the story: the Swedish tabloid Expressen and the Finnish newspaper Iltalehit.

Though both nations have long-avoided NATO membership due to the desire to stay neutral – particularly throughout the Cold War – this attitude now seems to have taken a 180-degree turn. Both nations state that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused them to change their minds on the matter.

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (Another?!)– a pre-Russia invasion proponent of Sweden becoming a NATO nation – has said that "everything has changed" for Sweden ever since February and that, as a result, Stockholm must be "prepared for all kinds of action from Russia."