Finnish President

Sauli Niiniste

and Prime Minister

Sanna Marin

have scheduled a press conference for May 15 to officially announce the final decision made in previous weeks - Finland is applying for NATO membership, Helsingin Sanomat reports.

The press conference will take place at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.

Earlier, the idea of ​​joining the North Atlantic Alliance was approved by the main parliamentary groups and parties of the country.

In a telephone conversation with Niiniste the day before , Russian President

Vladimir Putin

called Finland's move "wrong."

According to Svenska Dagbladet, Sweden will officially submit an application to NATO on Tuesday, May 17.

NATO plans to hold Exercise Hedgehog exercises in May.

They will take place in the area from Finland in the north to Northern Macedonia in the south.

Tens of thousands of troops from NATO countries, as well as Sweden and Finland, will take part in the largest exercises since the Cold War in the territory, which includes Eastern Europe.