Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Thursday their country must apply to join the NATO military alliance “without delay”, a major policy shift triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement is a big setback for Russia, which had partly tried to justify its invasion of Ukraine as a means to protect itself from NATO’s eastwards expansion.
Finland, which shares a 1,300 km (810 mile) border and a difficult past with Russia, has gradually stepped up its cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a partner since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
But until the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine – which has seen thousands of people killed, cities razed, and forced millions to flee their homes – the Nordic country had refrained from joining NATO in order to maintain friendly relations with its eastern neighbour.
“We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.”
The Finnish parliament will debate the announcement on Monday. A majority of lawmakers have already signalled their support for membership.
“Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay,” President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in a joint statement.
The joint statement as stated :During this spring, an important discussion on Finland’s possible NATO membership has taken place. Time has been needed to let Parliament and the whole society establish their stands on the matter. Time has been needed for close international contacts with NATO and its member countries, as well as with Sweden. We have wanted to give the discussion the space it required.
Now that the moment of decision-making is near, we state our equal views, also for information to the parliamentary groups and parties. NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security. As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance. Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay. We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.
Sauli Niinisto
President of the Republic of Finland
Sanna Marin
Prime Minister of Finland
Joint statement by the President of the Republic and Prime Minister of Finland on Finland's NATO membership:https://t.co/0xJ9OE70Cw@TPKanslia I @niinisto I @MarinSanna pic.twitter.com/ZviOgZ6v1n
— Finnish Government (@FinGovernment) May 12, 2022
Sweden is also close to a decision on asking to join NATO after decades of following a neutral path.
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