NATO says it has no plans to deploy troops and infrastructure to Sweden and Finland once the two Nordic countries become a member of the Western military alliance, as the process to ratify Sweden and Finland as the newest members of the 30-member bloc has been formally launched.

NATO's 30 allies have signed an accession protocol for Finland and Sweden on Tuesday, allowing them to join the nuclear-armed alliance once parliaments ratify the decision.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday told Sweden and Finland that he could still block their applications to join NATO if they fail to implement a new accession deal with Ankara.

NATO has officially declared Russia the “most significant and direct threat” to the security of its members, marking a giant strategic shift spurred by the Russian military offensive against Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed NATO's decision to approve the applications of Sweden and Finland, saying his country would respond in kind if the US-led military alliance deployed troops and infrastructure in the two Nordic countries after they join the 30-member bloc.

NATO on Wednesday formally invited Sweden and Finland to join the US-led military alliance, in a historic expansion of the 30-member bloc, triggering strong reaction from Russia that called it “a purely destabilizing factor.”

Turkey has lifted its veto over Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he wants to see action from Finland and Sweden instead of "empty words" in order to agree to their accession to NATO.

An overwhelming majority of Danes have voted in favor of joining the EU’s common defense policy, as Russia’s offensive against Ukraine continues to reshape Europe’s security landscape.

The Turkish foreign minister says Finland and Sweden must amend their laws if needed to meet Turkey's demands and win Ankara's backing for their NATO membership bid, doubling down on a threat to veto the expansion of the US-led military alliance so long as the two Nordic states failed to stop supporting terrorist groups.