Sweden called for a joint decision with Finland on NATO
Sweden should make a joint decision with Finland to join NATO rather than play party politics on security issues as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine increases support for the military alliance, according to the country’s main opposition leader.
Ulf Kristersson, leader of Sweden’s center party Moderaterna, told the Financial Times that the Social Democratic Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson risked alienating Finland after she on Tuesday rejected an application to NATO and said it would “further destabilize” security in the Nordic region.
Finland is in the midst of a cross-party review of its security policy, which is expected to lead to a decision this spring on whether to seek NATO membership.
Andersson’s comments raised concerns in Helsinki that Sweden could leave Finland on its own in the event of a potential Russian attack if the latter applied for membership alone.
Kristersson said the comments had “disqualified the Finnish way of doing things – perhaps unintentionally”.
– It is very unfortunate if Sweden gives the impression that we do not really believe that we are fully capable and sovereign to make our own decisions. It is extremely important that Finland knows that we are capable. . . Otherwise, we will send the signal to Finland that you are alone, he added.
Finland and Sweden are the only two non-NATO members among the eight Nordic and Baltic countries, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has for the first time generated a majority in both countries to join the alliance.
Analysts had long assumed that Sweden would take the lead in every step of joining NATO, just as it did with the EU. But Finland seems increasingly advanced because its political parties promise to discuss the issue openly and comprehensively in the midst of widespread concern among Finns about Russia’s invading Ukraine, another non-NATO state.
Kristersson, who may become prime minister in the parliamentary elections in September, said: “I strongly recommend both Sweden and Finland to be really open to making a joint decision.”
He and his party have long been in favor of joining NATO. “I’m pretty sure we’ll end up there. I would not at the moment dare or want to say exactly how or exactly when. It largely depends on what we would like to agree on with Finland, ”he added.
Sweden’s Social Democratic Party, which rules in a one-party minority government, has long been anti-NATO, although it has drawn the country closer to the alliance in the last eight years in power.
Russia has repeatedly warned over the past two months that if any of its members joined NATO, it would have “serious military and political consequences that would require an adequate response from Russia.”
Kristersson said that the Social Democrats could not make the decision on their own not to apply and that a majority in the Riksdag wanted a “NATO alternative” embedded in Sweden’s security policy. “These things are too important to be trivialized in everyday politics,” he said.
He called on the country to follow Finland’s leadership and initiate cross-party discussions with all options on the table regarding Sweden’s security arrangements.
He added: “Trust the process, let’s do it seriously, let’s do it together with Finland. Be prepared to make decisions together with Finland if we end up in the same decision.”