Russian President Vladimir Putin is making "empty threats" against Finland and Sweden amid Russia's failure to make substantial progress in Ukraine, said U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Kristina Kvien on Sunday. The Russian military continues facing mounting setbacks in the invasion, which began at the end of February. They initially failed to quickly complete the invasion, being met with significant Ukrainian resistance, and fighting is now concentrated in the eastern part of the country. In the Kremlin's latest snag, Finland and Sweden are now seeking membership to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ), a move that would further tie the two countries to Western Europe while weakening Russia's sphere of influence. The potential of the two nations joining NATO has long angered Putin, who has threatened that he could move nuclear weapons to the Baltic region should they join. He said Saturday that Finland joining NATO—a shift from its longstanding neutrality— … [Read more...] about Putin “making empty threats” amid Russia’s “failure” in Ukraine war: Kvien