WASHINGTON, D.C.(KCCR)- The European nations of Sweden and Finland are seeking entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO.  The U-S Senate Foreign Relations Committee of which South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds is a member of passed approval of the additions to the Senate floor this week.

A handful of other European countries maintain a neutral status and Rounds thinks if Sweden and Finland are added to NATO, others may also seek membership.

Rounds says the US and other NATO countries already interact with the Swedish and Finnish Armies.

Rounds says all the Russian invasion of Ukraine is doing is weakening the Russian military and putting Ukraine in a better position to negotiate an end to the conflict.