Doubling down on threat to Russia, Blinken seeks Finland, Sweden entry into NATO

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is "very confident" that NATO would reach a consensus on admitting Sweden and Finland to the alliance, despite Turkey's concerns and Russia's warnings against the pair's entry into the US-led military alliance.

After a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Berlin on Sunday, Blinken told reporters that Washington "would strongly support the NATO application by either Sweden or Finland should they choose to formally apply to the alliance."

He said he heard "almost across-the-board very strong support" for the NATO bids.

"I'm very confident that we will reach consensus," he added.

He made the remarks as Finland officially announced its intention to join the NATO alliance on Sunday.

The decision still needs to be ratified by Finland’s Parliament — but that is considered largely a formality.

In Sweden, the governing Social Democrats said they backed joining the alliance, paving the way for the country to apply.

Aspiring NATO bids, however, require unanimous approval from existing members to join the alliance.

But Turkey, a NATO ally, has expressed concern over its entry into the alliance.

Consenus or not, American political analyst Daniel  Patrick Welch thinks it's a terrible idea.. "Well, Sweeden's 'neutrality' has been more or less a sham from the beginning, he says. "There were even rumors of Swedish personnel in the nazi bunker complex at Azovstal." 

"But still it is a huge provocation, and shows that the collective west, being led in this death spiral by the neocon crazies in DC, are committed to learning absolutely nothing from their Ukraine disaster, " continued Welch.

 "They don't even care that they are losing, since the goal is permanent war. In true sociopath fashion, the train wreck that is the US ruling class is actually pumping out agitprop on their op Ed pages about how the US needs to show that they can win a nuclear war," the writer said in comments to PressTV Sunday. "Dr. Strangelove/General Ripper level crazy,  seriously."

 Though Welch dismisses them with a joke, he advised that it is unwise not to see the danger they put us all in. "We might glibly say Hey, it's their funeral. If they can't see that this irrational hatred for Russia will tank their own economies then the hell with them. But of course it could be our funeral too, for millions of us."

US, European allies rally behind Finland, Sweden in their bid to join NATO

The US and some European governments say they will support Finland and Sweden in their bid to join the NATO military alliance amid the raging war in Ukraine.

Turkey’s foreign minister has described as “unacceptable and outrageous” the support that Sweden and Finland give to the PKK, a Kurdish group designated a “terrorist” organization by Ankara and its Western allies.

Ankara said it could back Sweden and Finland's bids if they stop supporting terrorists and lift export bans.

Turkey said it could back Sweden and Finland's NATO bids if they stop supporting terrorists and lift export bans.

Russia which has long bristled about NATO moving closer to its borders has warned of "consequences."

Finland shares a 1,300-km border with Russia.

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