Italian PM offers Finland full support in NATO bid

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi gave his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin full support for Finland's decision, along with Sweden, to join NATO. "The request to join NATO is a clear response to the Russian military operation of Ukraine and to the threat that it represents for peace in Europe and for our collective security,'' Draghi said at a joint news conference in Rome.

The Finnish premier said, adding that for her country "it's important to be part of Article 5, the common security." Finland and Sweden applied Wednesday for NATO membership amid concerns over Russia's military operation on Ukraine. The applications must now be weighed by the 30 member countries and that process is expected to take about two weeks.