Explainer: What you need to know about Finland and Sweden's path to Nato membership

Sweden and Finland have received assurances from the United States, Germany and Britain of support should they come under attack

Flags of NATO member countries flutter during a Nato summit in Brussels. Picture: AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden have been considering applying for membership of the Nato military alliance, which would mark a major policy shift for the Nordic region.

Here is the latest about the process and the key points under discussion: