US Backs Nordic NATO Bids, Ukraine Tries Russian For War Crime

Kyiv, Ukraine, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th May, 2022 ) :US President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Finland and Sweden on Thursday to discuss their NATO membership bids, while Ukraine said no military option was left to rescue the soldiers still inside a steel plant besieged by Russian forces.

Moscow's troops have been accused of widespread atrocities against civilians during their devastating campaign, and Ukraine began its first war crimes trial of the conflict on Wednesday with a Russian soldier pleading guilty.

The brutality of the invasion that began on February 24 shook Sweden and Finland, and the neighbours -- neutral for decades -- decided to seek NATO membership despite warnings from the Kremlin.

"I warmly welcome and strongly support the historic applications from Finland and Sweden for membership in NATO," Biden said in a statement Wednesday, offering US support against any "aggression" while their bids are considered.

Biden will meet President Sauli Niinisto of Finland and Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Washington on Thursday for consultations.

Their bids face stiff resistance from NATO member Turkey, which accuses the two nations of harbouring anti-Turkish extremists.

But Western allies remain optimistic they can overcome Ankara's objections.

In an effort to lower the diplomatic heat, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at the United Nations, who called the face-to-face discussion "extremely positive".

Applications for entry into the alliance require the approval of all members.

For now, several including Britain have offered security guarantees to Finland and Sweden to guard against any Russian aggression.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said these applications would not have been expected recently "but Putin's appalling ambitions have transformed the geopolitical contours of our continent".