Finland and Sweden have given Putin a message: "Your threats don't scare us"

Vladimir Putin has always believed that if he threatens enough, people/nations/the whole western alliance will quake in their boots and be deterred from doing whatever they were hoping or planning to do. Never forget that Putin is a KGB man at heart, a security service gangster who cares not a jot for rules or international codes of behaviour. So if he threatens to use "necessary measures" or "appropriate retaliatory measures" etc to stop something happening he expects to be successful. But not anymore. He threatened Finland and Sweden that if they dared to join Nato it would be a grave mistake and they would seriously regret it. Putin clearly had "appropriate retaliatory measures" in mind. But both Finland and Sweden have effectively said to Putin: "Stuff you. We'll join Nato because we know it's in our security interests after you invaded Ukraine." Everything Putin hoped to achieve by invading Ukraine has failed. His invasion force has failed to take Ukraine, any of Ukraine, Nato has united more than ever before, alliance troops and armour have poured into eastern Europe, and now two other countries have said they want to join the alliance. His threats now make no difference. He still has his nuclear card but does anyone seriously believe Putin will launch a nuclear war against Nato. A war that will destroy everything he has worked so hard to acquire - his enormous wealth and properties and superyachts and girlfriends. No. So Putin's threats no longer work. The West is not afraid of him anymore. He is a busted flush. The historic decision by Finland and Sweden to join Nato is the final "up yours" gesture to demonstrate to Putin that his whole strategy has totally failed. Thank you Finland and Sweden for courageously standing up to the bully.