芬兰和瑞典国内越来越支持这两个国家加入北大西洋公约组织（简称北约）。
Recent public opinion studies, or polls, showed that citizens in both nations now favor membership in the Western military alliance.
最近的民意调查显示，这两国公民现在都赞成加入这个西方军事联盟。
In Finland, broadcaster YLE carried out its study this week. It found that 53 percent of citizens, a majority, were in favor of the country joining NATO. About 28 percent were against it.
在芬兰，YLE广播公司本周进行了调查。它发现53%的多数公民赞成该国加入北约。大约有28%的公民反对加入北约。
In Sweden, a poll in late February by broadcaster SVT found that 41 percent of the public supported NATO membership. Thirty-five percent opposed it. It was the first time an opinion study in Sweden had found more people in favor of the country joining NATO than were against it.
在瑞典，SVT广播公司于2月下旬进行的一项民意调查发现，41%的公众支持加入北约。35%的公民反对加入。这是瑞典民意调查首次出现支持该国加入北约的人数超过反对加入北约的人数。
Both nations are seen as important partners for NATO in the Baltic Sea area. Russia has greatly increased its military exercises in the Baltic in the past 10 years. But leaders in the two countries have expressed that they will not be pressured and any decision on NATO membership will be their own.
两国都被北约视为在波罗的海地区的重要伙伴。过去10年，俄罗斯大幅增加了在波罗的海的军事演习。两国领导人都表示不会迫于压力，就北约成员国资格的任何决定都是出于本意。
Support for NATO membership rises and falls and currently no clear majority in either nation's parliament approves joining.
加入北约的支持率有起有落，并且目前两国议会中都没有明确多数的议员同意加入北约。
Some security experts point to the rise in support as a sign that Russia's invasion of Ukraine changed Europe's security situation.
一些专家指出，支持率上升表明俄罗斯入侵乌克兰改变了欧洲的安全局势。
The attack on Ukraine led both Finland and Sweden to break with earlier policies not to provide arms to countries at war. Both countries are sending guns and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine. For Sweden, it is the first time it has offered military aid since 1939, when it assisted Finland against the Soviet Union.
对乌克兰的进攻导致芬兰和瑞典都打破了先前不向交战国提供武器的政策。两国都在向乌克兰运送枪支和反坦克武器。对于瑞典来说，这是该国自1939年帮助芬兰对抗苏联以来首次提供军事援助。
"The unthinkable might start to become thinkable," tweeted former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt. He has supported NATO membership.
瑞典前首相卡尔·比尔特在推特上写道：“难以想象的事情可能会开始变得有想象空间。”他支持加入北约。
There are no set requirements for joining NATO. But candidate nations must meet some political and other considerations. Many observers believe Finland and Sweden would qualify for quick entry into NATO without a long negotiation process.
加入北约没有固定要求。但是候选国必须满足一些政治和其它考虑。许多观察家认为，芬兰和瑞典有资格快速加入北约，无需经过漫长的谈判过程。
Though not members, Finland and Sweden already cooperate with NATO. They permit the alliance's troops to hold exercises on their territory. Finland and Sweden have also intensified their defense cooperation in recent years. Both have secured close military cooperation with the U.S., Britain and neighboring NATO member Norway.
芬兰和瑞典虽然不是成员国，但是已经跟北约展开合作。他们允许北约军队在他们的领土上进行演习。芬兰和瑞典近年来也加强了防务合作。两国都跟美国、英国以及邻近的北约成员国挪威建立了密切的军事合作。
Matti Pesu is with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. He told The Associated Press the Finnish public has been very consistent in its opinion about NATO membership for the past 30 years. "It seems now to have changed completely," he said.
马蒂·佩苏就职于芬兰国际事务研究所。他对美联社表示，在过去30年里，芬兰民众对加入北约的看法一直非常一致。他说：“看来现在已经彻底改变了。”
Pesu said the recent studies are the only sign of a change in public opinion. But he noted that no similar change came after Russia's 2008 war with Georgia or Russia's 2014 takeover of the Crimean Peninsula. "So this is an exception," Pesu said.
佩苏表示，最近的调查是民意发生变化的唯一迹象。但是他指出，俄罗斯2008年与格鲁吉亚的战争或是2014年接管克里米亚半岛之后，并没有发生类似的变化。佩苏表示：“所以这是一次例外。”
Russia's Foreign Ministry voiced concern last week about what it described as efforts by the United States and some of its allies to "drag" Finland and Sweden into NATO. It warned that Russia would be forced to take measures against the nations if they chose to join the alliance.
俄罗斯外交部上周对美国及其一些盟国将芬兰和瑞典拖入北约的努力表示担忧。它警告说，如果这些国家选择加入北约，俄罗斯将被迫对这些国家采取措施。
I'm Jill Robbins.
我是吉尔·罗宾斯。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)