Snubbing Russia, NATO invites Sweden and Finland to join alliance

NATO invited Sweden and Finland on Wednesday to join the military alliance in one of the biggest shifts in European security in decades after Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed Helsinki and Stockholm to drop their traditional of neutrality.

NATO's 30 allies took the decision at their summit in Madrid and also agreed to formally treat Russia as the "most significant and direct threat to the allies' security", according to a summit statement.

"Today, we have decided to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO," NATO leaders said in their declaration, after Turkey lifted a veto on Finland and Sweden joining.

However,