Russia warns Sweden and Finland to join NATO with increased support in both nations
On Wednesday, the Russian Federation once again warned Finland and Sweden of serious consequences if they proceed with their plans to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The latest warning from Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman, comes as support for NATO membership increases in both countries. A survey conducted by the Demoskop Institute indicated that Sweden’s membership in the military alliance now has the support of the country’s 57% of the population, up from 51% in March.
The number of people who are against has decreased from 24% in March to 21% now. According to the latest survey, 22% of the population is insecure compared to 25% in March, NEXT reported. At the same time, Finland is expected to launch a formal discussion on NATO membership on Wednesday. According to reports, public support for joining the military alliance has risen to more than 60%. A survey conducted earlier this year indicated that more than 40% of the population in Finland oppose their country’s accession to NATO. According to a survey conducted by Kantar TNS, 42% of Finnish citizens stated that they do not want to join the alliance, and fall below the 50% limit for the first time in the store’s voting history, Sputnik reported.
According to a survey by Demoskop, the number of followers of #Sweden joining #NATO increased from 51% in March to 57% in April.
Today, 21% of those surveyed are against membership, while 22% have difficulty answering. pic.twitter.com/LlfiQAqi8R
– NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 20, 2022
Russia’s attitude towards Finland and Sweden joining NATO is “not surprising”: Finnish FM Haavisto
In response to Russian rhetoric about Finland’s likely application for NATO membership, Helinski pointed out that there is no need to worry about Moscow’s threats. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at a press conference last week that Russia’s stance on Finland and Sweden joining NATO is “not surprising” and is as expected. Speaking about the dispute between Russia and the Nordic countries over the latter’s accession to NATO, Haavisto stated that the likely decision has nothing to do with the current situation in Ukraine.
About NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance with 30 members. The organization was formed in the aftermath of World War II to implement the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed on April 4, 1949. The Alliance is a collective security arrangement in which NATO’s independent member states commit to defending each other in the event of an external attack. Since the end of the Cold War, the alliance has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, among others.
Image: AP
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