The Morning Dispatch: Finland and Sweden Weighing NATO Bids

Vladimir Putin's attempt to violently yank one neighbor out of Europe's orbit has pushed other neighbors closer to the West.

By and
376

Happy Friday! Chag Pesach Sameach to those celebrating the start of Passover tonight, and Happy Easter to our members celebrating on Sunday!

Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories

  • Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced Thursday that one of its missile cruisers—The Moskva—sank off the coast of Ukraine this week. Russian officials said a fire detonated ammunition onboard the ship—the flagship of its Black Sea fleet—but the Ukrainian military claimed to have hit the vessel with an anti-ship missile. An anonymous U.S. Defense Department official backed the Ukrainians’ claim, and several other Russian warships have reportedly repositioned further from shore in recent days.

  • Despite weeks of draconian lockdowns, Chinese health officials reported the country’s highest-ever number of daily COVID-19 cases on Thursday. And it’s not just Shanghai: According to a recent Nomura survey, 45 Chinese cities—home to a combined 373 million people and responsible for about 40 percent of China’s economic output—were either fully or partially locked down as of Monday. 

  • Pfizer and BioNTech announced Thursday that a Phase 2/3 clinical trial featuring 140 children ages 5 through 11 found a 10-microgram COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to be safe and capable of increasing neutralizing antibody titers against the Omicron variant 36-fold compared to two doses alone. The companies plan to apply for emergency use authorization so this age group can receive booster doses. Just 28 percent of U.S. children ages 5 through 11 are currently fully vaccinated.

Start a Free Trial
Get every newsletter and all of The Dispatch. Support quality, fact-based journalism. Get Started ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN
376
By and
Comments (376)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Avatar photo
    Beth

    Welcome aboard!

    Collapse
  2. Avatar photo
    Picov Andropov

    Thank you for this informative piece on Finland and Sweden seeking to join NATO. I have a couple of questions:

    1) Is it likely that Orban's Hungary will block either state from joining NATO, since Orban is sympathetic to Putin and has been emboldened by his recent re-election?

    2) Will the election in France play a role in weakening the NATO Alliance if Le Pen wins on April 24th?

    Collapse
  3. Avatar photo
    Stephanie

    I think I'm the first to comment on the RNC breaking with the Commission on Presidential Debates. They're forbidding the candidate--whoever it turns out to be--from cooperating with the Commission in 2024.

    Their objections to the way the 2020 debates were handled seem trivial.

    I think they're looking for a way for their likely weak candidate (Trump) to avoid making a fool of himself.

    But what if it's DeSantis?

    Collapse
  4. Avatar photo
    Citizen60

    I was going to comment that I think it's just sterling that Finland and Sweden joining NATO from whatever perspective one has on it; but ended up enjoyably engrossed in reading of hanky and other kinds of pysankies, puns, and klingon-sounding holiday greetings. Gosh, I love TMD's comments section! Happy Pick-Your-Abrahamic-Religion Holiday Wishes to all!

    Collapse
  5. Avatar photo
    Kevin Johnson

    Thanks. And just heard that Finnish President noted that Finland can mobilize more reservists in 24 hours than Germany can…and there are only 6 million Finns. It goes without saying, since Finns are modest, that their reservists would also be immeasurably better trained and motivated.

    Collapse
  6. Natty Bumpo

    I would be pleased to welcome Finland and Sweden to NATO. They are a natural fit and would bring value to the alliance. I do not care what Vlad the Impaler thinks about it.

    Collapse
  7. B Phillips

    As far as NATO goes I'm all for admitting Sweden & Finland. Related question, once you're admitted to NATO is there any way to get "kicked out"? Asking for Turkey & Hungary.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      SandyG

      Yeah, Hungary. Their democracy score is 45/100 (https://freedomhouse.org/country/hungary/nations-transit/2021).

      Collapse
  8. Avatar photo
    Adam Bridge

    I clearly welcome Finland and Sweden to NATO. Putin has written his ambitions clearly for all to see and it's not rooting out the deeply Nazi Ukraine for the sake of world peace. I don't see a downside.

    Collapse
  9. Avatar photo
    Bono Vox

    What are my thoughts on the prospectors, formerly neutral (curious George here, with clenched fist on my chin, wondering wtf, how, why,after so many years, and so many innocents kept in bondage, or tortured, or murdered by the Ruskies), what are my thoughts on the formerly neutral (again, curious George here, wondering what kind of man could possibly be neutral in the Cold WAR) Scandinavian countries joining NATO? Question begging has me wondering why I should have given an f if the gangster hadn’t invaded the Fins neutral country instead. But wishing no ill on my obscenely self-interested Russian neighbor, I would say it is about fing time they sided with the good guys. But if I were on the front lines with a Swede or a Fin I would at least take to heart and mind they will have my back, never lead, but follow, because unlike true red, white and blue Americans who take the lead when life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are on the line. In the meantime…Here’s hoping as many Ukrainian bullets (probably not bought, or donated by Swedes or Dins, god bless them) enter the skulls of Putin’s willing executioners. Gotta run on. Thanks for taking my rant Dispatch. Peace through superior mental firepower

    Collapse
  10. Avatar photo
    BrettH

    Let'em join the alliance. The tragedy in Ukraine has shaken democracies globally to wake up to the threats of Russia, China, Iran, etc. after years of back sliding toward authoritarianism or just turning a blind eye to it for the sake of economic growth.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Richard Maxton

      Has it though? Plenty of blind eyes as far as I can see.

      I'll be much more convinced if after another few years we continue to see the manufacturing component of the global supply chain move away from China, as it has s-l-o-w-l-y started to do since Covid.

      Plenty of the world is still making excuses to take the necessities from Russia, and they'd do the same for Iran if they had anything other than the oil (that already gets out anyway), regardless of sanctions.

      Collapse
Load More