Russian neighbour Finland announces it wants to join NATO
Berlin, May 15: Finland declared Sunday that it wants to join NATO, as a senior official with the western military alliance expressed hope that with Russia's military advance appearing to falter Ukraine can win the war.
President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin made the announcement that Finland would seek membership of NATO during a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. The previously neutral Nordic country shares a long border with Russia.
This is a historic day. A new era begins, Niinisto said.
The Finnish Parliament is expected to endorse the decision in coming days. A formal membership application will then be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels, most likely at some point next week.
The announcement came as top diplomats from the 30 NATO member states met in Berlin to discuss providing further support to Ukraine and moves by Finland, Sweden and others to join NATO in the face of threats from Russia.
The brutal invasion (by) Russia is losing momentum, NATO Deputy-Secretary General Mircea Geoana told reporters early Sunday.
We know that with the bravery of the Ukrainian people and army, and with our help, Ukraine can win this war, he said.
Geoana, who was chairing the meeting while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recovers from a COVID-19 infection, said Ukraine's supporters were united, we are strong, will continue to help Ukraine in winning this war.
Sweden has also already taken steps toward joining the alliance, while Georgia's bid is again being discussed despite dire warnings from Moscow about the consequences if its neighbor becomes part of NATO.
Finland and Sweden are already the closest partners of NATO, Geoana said, adding that he expected allies to view their applications positively.
Nordic NATO member Norway said it strongly welcomed Finland's decision to seek membership. Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt described Helsinki's move as a turning point for the Nordic region's defense and security policies.
Finnish membership in NATO will be good for Finland, good for the Nordic region, and good for NATO. Finland has Norway's full support," Huitfeldt said in comments emailed to The Associated Press.
Huitfeldt said the Norwegian government would facilitate a swift consent to ratification by the Norwegian Parliament for Finland's accession into NATO.
We are now seeing unprecedented unity in NATO. With the Finnish membership, we will further strengthen the Nordic flank of the military alliance, Huitfeldt said.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said her country and others made clear during a dinner late Saturday that they would be willing to fast-track the national ratification process for both Finland and Sweden.
If these two countries are deciding to join, they can join very quickly, she said.
Denmark's foreign minister dismissed suggestions that objections from Russian President Vladimir Putin could hinder the alliance from letting in new members.
Each and every European country has a fundamental right to choose their own security arrangement," Jeppe Kofod told reporters.
We see now a world where the enemy of democracy number one is Putin and the thinking that he represents, he said, adding that NATO would also stand with other countries, such as Georgia, which he said were being instrumentalized by Russia.
On the sidelines of the meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met earlier Sunday with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba to discuss the impact of the war and how to get Ukraine's grain to international markets.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Blinken underscored the United States' enduring commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's unprovoked war.
Britain's top diplomat said NATO members would also discuss security issues beyond Europe during their meeting Sunday a reference to growing unease among democratic nations about the rise of China.
"As well as protecting Euro-Atlantic security, we also need to watch out for Indo-Pacific security, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.
The meeting follows a gathering of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading economies on Germany's Baltic Sea coast this week. Officials there expressed strong support for Ukraine and warned that Russia's blockade of grain exports from Ukrainian ports risks stoking a global food crisis.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
