Turkey approves Finland for NATO, Sweden waits

STORY: Finland is one step closer to becoming a member of NATO.

Turkey's parliament passed a bill on Thursday (March 30) to allow Finland to join the defense alliance.

It was the last vote needed for them to join, clearing the way for Finland to become NATO's 31st member as war rages in Ukraine.

Both Finland and Sweden requested to join the bloc last year in response to Russia's invasion.

But the process has been held up by Turkey and Hungary, as both countries seek concessions.

Turkey is still holding off approving the membership bid of Sweden,

which Ankara says has not gone far enough in cracking down on people Turkey considers terrorists.

On the streets of Finland's capital Helsinki, people said their views on NATO had changed since the war.

"Well, I believe that in this kind of political environment nowadays I believe that there is definitely strength in numbers.."

"Before the war in Ukraine, I think the most or the big portion of Finns were thinking that we don't need NATO, that we are safe enough, we are okay without it. But I think it was quite clear when we saw the war happening that the popular opinions changed quite quickly.."

With the potential accession of Finland to NATO, NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia's President Vladimir Putin was getting the exact opposite of what he wanted.

Stoltengerg told Fox News. "He wanted less NATO. He's getting more NATO."

Tensions escalated further on Thursday, as Russia made its first arrest of a foreign journalist since the start of the war.

Evan Gershkovich, who works for the Wall Street Journal, has been accused of spying.

The Kremlin said the American had been "caught red-handed" but presented no documentary or video evidence.

The White House condemned Russia's actions and urged U.S. citizens living or travelling in Russia to leave immediately.