What a loss for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Finland and Sweden only abolished decades of cherished neutrality to join NATO, and the Allies – including Turkey – said yes.

Pause with me for a while and understand what an astonishing change this is for Finland and Sweden. While both have been close partners with NATO for several years, trained and even deployed forces alongside NATO missions, both nations made a complete reversal in their foreign policy. Sweden has not joined an alliance or fought in war since 1814. You read that right. Citizens of Finland and Sweden did not want to join NATO six months ago, but now they do.

Putin’s aggression and the reality of modern warfare made it important for Finland and Sweden to become full members of NATO. In this time of cyber attacks and Russian air and missile attacks, the deterrent must be in place from the beginning. Tough talk, intelligence leaks and sanctions did not stop Putin from invading Ukraine. Only a true alliance can guarantee security.

TURKEY RAISES OPPOSITION TO FINLAND, SWEDEN TO JOIN NATO

Joining NATO for Finland and Sweden into a common air defense picture expands NATO’s cyber – resilience, and includes NATO’s nuclear deterrence guarantee.

This is a good step for NATO. Finland adds another 830 miles of border and sews up a NATO barrier against Russia from Istanbul to the Arctic Circle and beyond. Finland, pop. 5.5 million, provides a first-class air force, an army that expands up to 900,000 and the largest artillery reserve in Europe. It is said that they have more ammunition than pines up there. Do not forget that they are world leaders in communication technology.

Sweden was officially neutral in the First World War, the Second World War and maintained its defense and remained non-aligned during the Cold War. But they have long been a powerhouse for the defense industry, and the Swedish military has specialized experience of Arctic and underwater domains. They are building new fighter jets from their successful Gripen series and deploying more submarines. Sweden strengthened the strategic island of Gotland earlier this year and set aside more funds for military infrastructure and naval operations.

Do not think for a moment that Finland and Sweden applied for membership in NATO because they are afraid of Russia. No, they’ve lived in that neighborhood for a long time. And, of course, Finland won a moral victory over the Russians in the Soviet Union in the Winter War of 1939. In fact, they invented Molotov cocktails – makeshift petrol bottle bombs thrown at tanks – during that war.

I think it is more accurate to say that they are disgusted by Putin, his illegal invasion and his brutality, like the air and missile attacks that were launched against 40 targets in Ukraine on 26 June. Harassing Russian military aircraft in Swedish airspace did not help. What is the point of freedom of alliance when the other camp contains a thug like Putin?

Finland, Sweden and NATO have sent a message to Putin: the good guys are adding teammates. The same message goes to China, which still supports Russia.

As for Turkey (which recently changed its national spelling to Turkey), this is a good time to get military cooperation back on track. Credit goes to Finland and Sweden for drawing up a trilateral agreement with Turkey to enable unanimous NATO approval. As a result, I would like to see Turkey back in line to buy F-35 fighter jets and return its pilots to the joint F-35 training. As General Dwight Eisenhower knew when NATO was formed, Turkey is the bulwark of NATO’s southern flank, whether it behaves or not.

Why? Two words: Bosporussundet.

Turkey controls all NATO access from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea through this critical waterway, which is narrower than the Hudson River around Manhattan at key points. For example, if NATO ever wants to break the Black Sea blockade of Ukraine’s grain ports by Russia, warships must pass through the Bosphorus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin leads a meeting on the country’s transportation industry via a video link in Sochi, Russia on May 24, 2022.
(Sputnik / Mikhail Metzel / Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS PICTURE IS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.)

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Finally, the elections of Finland and Sweden should put an end to the myth that a prosperous NATO somehow justifies Putin’s emotionless actions. It is crazy to blame NATO’s acceptance of new members for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Most new member states joined NATO when Russia actually joined the group of seven, briefly renamed the G8, from 1997 to 2014. It was a period when NATO leaders did their best to treat Russia as a normal European power and help Putin to choose prosperity instead of plunder. I’m tired of Washington analysts talking about how Putin “felt” when NATO grew. The atrocities committed by Russian forces in Bucha and elsewhere should have evaporated that feeling.

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The next step is for the NATO parliament to ratify the treaty update. NATO will then have 32 members, making this North Atlantic Treaty Organization, founded in 1949, the most successful alliance in world history. NATO and its friends are the best hope in the world. Welcome, Finland and Sweden.

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