The Finnish government yesterday officially announced its intention to join NATO, as Sweden’s ruling party was to hold a decisive meeting that could pave the way for a joint application.
Less than three months after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the move is a stunning reversal of Finland’s policy on military non-alignment dating back more than 75 years.
Sweden, which has been militarily non-aligned for more than two centuries, is expected to follow suit with a similar announcement, possibly today.
Photo: AFP
“Today, the president of the republic and the government’s Foreign Policy Committee have jointly agreed that Finland will apply for NATO membership, after consulting parliament,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told reporters at a joint news conference with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
“This is a historic day. A new era is opening,” Niinisto said.
Despite last-minute objections by Turkey, NATO members are on “good track” in their discussions on welcoming Sweden and Finland into the Western military alliance, Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman said as he arrived for talks with NATO counterparts in Berlin.
Finland’s parliament is to convene to debate the membership proposal today.
“We hope the parliament will confirm the decision to apply for NATO membership during the coming days. It will be based on a strong mandate,” Marin said.
An overwhelming majority of Finnish lawmakers support the decision after Marin’s Social Democratic Party on Saturday said it was in favor of joining.
“Hopefully, we can send our applications next week together with Sweden,” Marin had said on Saturday.
The two Nordic countries broke their strict neutralities after the end of the Cold War by joining the EU and becoming partners to NATO in the 1990s, solidifying their affiliation with the West.
However, the concept of full NATO membership was a non-starter in the countries until the war in Ukraine saw support for joining the alliance soar.
Finland, which shares a 1,300km border with Russia, has been leading the charge, while Sweden appears anxious at being the only non-NATO country around the Baltic Sea.
Finland is also Sweden’s closest defense cooperation partner.
Many Swedish politicians have said their support is conditional on Finland joining.
On Saturday, Niinisto telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to inform him of his country’s desire to join NATO, in a conversation described as “direct and straightforward.”
“Avoiding tensions was considered important,” Niinisto said in a statement after the call.
However, Putin responded by saying that joining NATO “would be a mistake since there is no threat to Finland’s security,” the Kremlin said in astatement.
Moscow has repeatedly warned both countries of consequences if they join NATO.
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