The country has launched consultations on joining the alliance in response to Russia’s offensive in Ukraine The Finnish government will provide the country’s parliament with a review of possible NATO accession by the middle of this month, the country’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said.

Lithuania has ordered the Russian ambassador to leave the country and recalled its diplomatic representative from Moscow Lithuania has become the first EU country to expel a  Russian ambassador over Moscow’s ongoing military attack on Ukraine. Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that Vilnius’ own top diplomat in Moscow would also be recalled in the coming days.

Russian authorities announced plans on Monday to end the ban on flights to and from 52 countries starting April 9, as Moscow continues to lift Covid-19-related restrictions. The measure would apply to “friendly countries,” Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said, referring to nations which did not join in on Western sanctions on Moscow.