Russia threatens retaliation – as Finland’s leaders say it ‘must join Nato’

When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine at the end of February, he said he was responding to Nato expansion and trying to deter other countries from joining that alliance.

Yet the very opposite appears to be happening – as Finland, a once neutral neighbour, took a big step towards joining.

Finland’s leaders say they want to join Nato as quickly as possible – and if that happens – the western military alliance will more than double the length of its land border with Russia – given that Finland shares an 830-mile frontier with Russia.