Finland and Sweden will apply for NATO membership on Wednesday 18 May, saidPrime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in Stockholm.

"The Nordic Countries are strong in every meaning of the word. Our military strength is among the most advanced in Europe and our capabilities complement each other. The threshold for any military action against us is already very high," Niinistö said during his Swedish-language speech to the Parliament in Stockholm on Tuesday afternoon.

"But strength is not generated by force alone. It also requires resilience. And that is something our Nordic Countries are famous for," he added.