Finland and Sweden in NATO could bring powerful troops to Russia’s front door
Sweden’s and Finland’s membership in NATO would integrate two of Europe’s most capable and modern military just outside Russia’s threshold, according to rankings and data from Global firepower index.
Why it’s important: Sweden and Finland are trying to join in to get security guarantees from the world’s most powerful military alliance. But experts say they would not be Article 5 freeloaders.
- The Nordic countries will bring unique capabilities to a particularly vulnerable Baltic region, where NATO has struggled to project power.
With the numbers: Sweden’s defense budget for 2022 is estimated at a total of $ 8.6 billion, while Finland’s is $ 6.3 billion, according to the Global Firepower Index.
- Both Sweden and Finland has announced plans to dramatically increase its military spending in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after years of failure to reach the 2% of GDP threshold demanded by NATO from all its members.
- The number of active soldiers in the Finnish Armed Forces is a modest 23,000, but the country has a force of 280,000 in wartime due to its massive conscription system.
- A total of 900,000 Finnish reservists can be mobilized – a product of the deep-rooted focus on security in a country that shares a 800 km long border with Russia, and which was invaded twice during the 20th century.
Between the lines: In addition to the strength of its fleets and air forces, Finland and Sweden will provide NATO with unique intelligence capabilities that are specifically tailored to the threat posed by their Russian neighbors.
- The Swedish military’s control of the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea would also give NATO a decisive strategic advantage in a regional conflict with Russia.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership will not pose a threat to his country unless they establish NATO bases and infrastructure.
- However, other Kremlin officials and propagandists have warned of “far-reaching consequences”.
What they say: “When you have a military like ours, you really do not have much to worry about. And Russia knows that,” Alexander Stubb, Finland’s former prime minister, told Axios about the Kremlin’s saber race.
What should we look at: With NATO allies busy arguing with Turkey to drop its opposition to Sweden and Finland’s membership, President Biden will welcome the leaders of the two Scandinavian countries to the White House on Thursday.