Enlarge this imageFinland’s President Sauli Niinisto makes a point during a joint pre s conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, Wednesday, May 11, 2022.Frank Augstein/APhide captiontoggle captionFrank Augstein/ Bryce Harper Jersey APFinland’s President Sauli Niinisto makes a point during a joint pre s conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, Wednesday, May 11, 2022.Frank Augstein/APIn a joint statement released this morning, Prime Minister Sanna Marin and President Sauli Niinist said Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay. The announcement was widely expected and has broad support in the country: A recent poll showed that about three-quarters of all Finns support joining the military alliance. The invasion of Ukraine in February prompted Finland, Joe Ross Jersey which shares an 830-mile border with Ru sia, to move away from its long history of neutrality and military nonalignment. Europe The Ru sia-Ukraine war drives countries to consider NATO membership Finland’s neighbor Sweden also is considering joining NATO. Moscow has warned both countries against joining. On Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called Finland’s entry into NATO a threat to Ru Koda Glover Jersey sia and said it “does not make our continent more stable and safe.” Ru sia’s reaction will depend on what the expansion proce s looks like and how close Brandon Kintzler Jersey NATO’s military infrastructure gets to Ru sia’s borders, he said, adding that Ru sia will analyze events and take measures to “keep the situation in balance and maintain our security.” Hear more from NPR’s Frank Langfitt on Morning Edition. This story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog.