Finland Leaders Announce decision to apply for NATO Membership

Finland's president and prime minister announced their support for joining NATO on Thursday, moving the Nordic nation which shares an 800-mile border with Russia one step closer to membership of the US-led military alliance.

Thursday’s announcement is the strongest sign yet that Finland will make a formal application to join NATO. Membership would be historic for the Nordic country, which has had a decades-long policy of military neutrality.

“Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay.” the leaders said in a joint statement, adding that they hoped that “the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.”

“NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security” and that Finland’s membership would in turn “strengthen the entire defence alliance.”

The government will debate the issue over the weekend and the Finnish parliament is expected to give its final approval to the application as early as Monday.

President Navasto said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had changed Finland’s security situation although there was no immediate threat.

Soon after Finland’s announcement, fellow Nordic country Denmark said it would push for the quick NATO admission of Finland.

“Denmark will do everything for a quick admission process after the formal application,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Twitter.

Coming out in favour of joining is a historic development: Finland adopted neutrality after being defeated by the Soviet Union in World War II.

Along with Ukrainian resistance and Western sanctions, if either decided to join it would be one of the most significant ways in which the invasion appears to have backfired on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cited NATO expansion as one of the reasons for attacking Ukraine. 

The Kremlin has warned of “military and political repercussions” if the Swedes and Finns decide to join NATO.

Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president who is deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, said last month it would force Moscow to strengthen its military presence in the Baltic region.

However, analysts say military action against the Nordic countries appears unlikely, given how bogged down Russian forces are in Ukraine.