UK Provides Interim Security Assurances To Sweden And Finland

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed new deals with Sweden and Finland to support both countries military during the period of vulnerability between applying for and acceding to NATO.

• Johnson said after today's meeting with Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson: 'What we are saying, emphatically, is that in the event of a disaster or the event of an attack upon Sweden, then the UK would come to the assistance of Sweden with whatever Sweden requested.'
• The move from the UK follows a similar pledge from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a meeting with Swedish FM Ann Linde last week.
• Linde said the US 'has offered security guarantees if it applies to join NATO,’ but both Blinken and Linde made it clear that a decision had yet to be made.
• Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin is in Japan today. She said to Japanese PM Fumio Kishida that Finland joining NATO would 'strengthen' the international community.
• Marin told Japanese broadcaster NHK that Helsinki would make a decision on joining NATO 'within a week.'