Finland and Sweden are moving towards a possible NATO membership in the middle of the Russian war in Ukraine
HELSINKI (AP) – EU nations Finland and Sweden reached important steps on Wednesday on the road to a possible NATO membership when the Finnish government issued a security report to legislators and Sweden’s ruling party began a review of security policy options.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February triggered an increase in support for NATO membership in the two traditionally non-aligned Nordic countries, with polls showing that a majority of respondents were willing to join the alliance in Finland and that NATO supporters in Sweden there were clearly more than them. against the idea.
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Finland, a country with 5.5 million, shares the EU’s longest border with Russia, a border of 1,340 kilometers (833 kilometers). Sweden has no border with Russia.
Russia, for its part, has warned Sweden and Finland to join NATO, where officials say it would not contribute to stability in Europe. Officials said Russia would respond to such a move with retaliatory measures that would cause “military and political consequences” for Helsinki and Stockholm. One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reasons for invading Ukraine was that the country refused to promise that it would not join NATO.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin spoke at a joint press conference with her Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson on Wednesday, saying that Finland is ready to make a decision on NATO “within a few weeks” rather than months after an extensive debate in the 200-member Eduskunta. the legislature. .
Marin emphasized that Finland and Sweden, two Nordic neighbors that have close economic, political and military ties, will make independent decisions about their security policy arrangements, including whether to join NATO.
“But we do it with a clear understanding that our choices will affect not only ourselves but also our neighbors,” Marin said, adding that she would prefer both Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO.
Andersson said that Sweden and Finland will maintain “a very close dialogue and have a very straightforward and honest discussion” in the coming weeks about their countries’ respective choices about NATO.
The only real alternative to NATO membership could be increased bilateral military cooperation with the United States and the Nordic NATO member Norway, Finnish experts have said.
Marin and Andersson lead the ruling Social Democratic parties in their respective countries. The parties are expected to announce their NATO views at the beginning and end of May, respectively. The parliaments of both countries are ready to finally decide the issue – something that could happen in Finland at the end of May and a little later in Sweden.
What complicates things in Sweden is the parliamentary election in September, which will probably be dominated by the NATO issue.
In Finland, President Sauli Niinisto said he was convinced that his country’s decision on NATO would be ready in good time before the NATO summit on June 29-30 in Madrid, Spain.
On Wednesday, the Finnish government issued a much-anticipated report on changes in Finland’s security environment, which legislators will begin discussing after the Easter break. The report addresses the pros and cons of Finland’s possible membership of NATO, focusing on security threats, economic effects, cyber security and hydride threats.
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“The war started by Russia is jeopardizing security and stability throughout Europe,” said Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto as he presented the report. “Russia’s attack on Ukraine will have a lasting impact on our own security environment. Confidence in Russia has plummeted.”
Andersson said on Wednesday that the Swedish government is working on a safety environment analysis together with all parties in the 349-member Riksdag. She said that the report should be ready on May 31, but that it may be ready earlier. In addition, Andersson’s Social Democratic Party has initiated its own separate review of Sweden’s security environment.