Finland’s president has confirmed that his country will apply for NATO membership.

Yesterday president Sauli Niinisto said he and the government’s foreign policy committee had agreed to go ahead with the application, after the move was first mooted last week.

Niinisto said he spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin on Saturday to tell him about the plan.

He said Putin had responded by saying the move would hurt relations between the two countries.

Finland shares a 1,300km-long border with Russia.

Also yesterday, Sweden’s wish to join NATO took a step forward, as the ruling Social Democrat party announced an official policy change that opens the way for an application within days.

Source: Reuters

Russia has been on the offensive in eastern Ukraine as it tries to encircle Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region.

There has also been intense fighting around the eastern Russian-held city of Izium, where Russia said it had struck Ukrainian positions with missiles.

NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told reporters yesterday that the Russian attack in Donbas has stalled and that Ukraine could win the war.

British military intelligence said Russia has lost about a third of the ground forces that were deployed at the start of the conflict.

Source: Reuters

Polish tennis star Iga Świątek has swept to victory in the WTA tournament in Rome, successfully defending her win there last year.

Świątek took the game in two sets, winning 6:2, 6:2 against Tunisian Ons Jabeur.

It’s the Pole’s fifth successive tournament win, and she now stands undefeated in 28 matches.

She told reporters after the event that she was proud of herself, and that she was planning to celebrate her success by eating a lot of tiramisu.

Świątek goes on to compete in the French Open which starts on Sunday.

Source: PAP

Warsaw’s Chopin airport has welcomed an EU decision to drop the requirement to wear masks on flights starting from today.

Airport spokesperson Anna Dermont said the move was important for the aviation market, as it would make air travel more comfortable and therefore more popular.

She added however that many airlines have their own regulations on the matter, so it’s still worth carrying a mask.

The European Centre for Disease Control said in a statement that masks still remain one of the best safeguards against the transmission of Covid-19, and asked air passengers to still behave responsibly and respect the choices of others around them.

Source: PAP

Foresters in Pomerania will go to war against a tiny pest that could threaten thousands of hectares of pine forest.

The Forest Protection Team will begin a spraying operation this month to destroy the nun moth, whose caterpillars devour pine needles rapidly.

Piotr Gawęda, head of the Gdańsk team, called the insects the most dangerous forest pest.

Insecticide spraying will take place in May and June across 15,000 hectares of forest in four districts judged to be at greatest risk—these are Kaliska, Kościerzyna, Lipusz and Lubichowo.

Gawęda said the preparation is not dangerous to humans or beneficial insects, and that notices about the sprayings will be placed at entrances to the forest.

A similar outbreak of nun moths was dealt with five years ago.

Source: radiogdansk.pl

Weather

Today will bring a mix of sun and clouds to the skies over Gdańsk with a high of 18°C / 64°F. Winds will be light from the southwest. Overnight temperatures will dip to 6°C / 42°F, with a similar outlook for the daytime tomorrow.

RGEN/AGC