Crucial NATO decisions expected in Finland, Sweden this week

FILE - In this photo provided by the Swedish Armed Forces on Aug. 25, 2020, troops prepare in the Baltic Sea region. The question of whether to join NATO is coming to a head in Finland and Sweden, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered the long-held belief that remaining outside the military alliance was the best way to avoid trouble with their giant neighbor. If Finland and Sweden join the alliance, Russia would find itself completely surrounded by NATO countries in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic — two regions that Moscow considers its backyard. (Joel Thungren/Swedish Armed Forces/TT via AP, File)