The President of Finland says about NATO membership in a “debate” in Helsinki
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Finnish legislature considers membership in North Atlantic Organization as Kremlin invasion of Ukraine intensifies, President of Finland Sauli Niinistö told Fox News in an “Special Report” interview on Friday.
Independent Niinistö was asked Finland wants to join the Alliance at its headquarters in Brussels, given both the attack and the fact that its country shares almost 900 miles of the eastern border; Russia under Putin.
He replied that, for the first time, Finland and neighboring Sweden are seriously considering such a measure, citing domestic opinion polls.
“We are now open to debate with our Parliament on this [are] try to define all the circumstances and risks and all the benefits and do it quite effectively and as soon as possible, ”he said.
BIDEN digs PRICE AGAINST RUSSIAN OIL SACTS UNITED STATES
Anchor Bret Baier quoted recent articles about the demands of the then Soviet Union in 1939 on the Finnish waterways and land masses that led to the attack in November.
“In 1939, Russia invaded, we protected and defended our country, they did not come in,” Niinistö replied.
“It certainly reminds me of the current situation in Ukraine. We must also remember that Finland may have behaved a little differently than many European countries,” he continued, adding that Finland’s defense is strong.
“We also see Germany taking a strong position in its defense sector… And [other] element is certainly NATO membership. “
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“And as I said, it’s being discussed in Finland.”
Given Finland’s proximity to Moscow, Niinistö also commented on Vladimir Putin and told Fox News that he has always had “bitterness and even anger” in some Western countries because he sees ill-treatment in the Russian Federation.
“[E]verybody wants to avoid further escalation, which is very close all the time. There may even be harmful acts that break out suddenly. And if we have an escalation, we have a huge war ahead of us. So securing it is, in my view, the reason why NATO is not present. “