Sanna Marin (SDP) and Sauli Niinistö, the prime minister and president of Finland, respectively, issued a joint statement this morning, endorsing Finnish membership in NATO. “Now that the moment of decision-making is near, we state our equal views, also for information to the parliamentary groups and parties. NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security,” read the statement, reported Yle. “As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defense alliance. Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay. We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.”
The Finnish statement means that Finland is virtually certain to seek NATO membership, though a few steps remain (to be taken in the parliament) before the application process can begin, reported The Associated Press. Sweden is expected to follow Finland soon.
Asked whether this presented a threat to Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters, “Definitely. NATO expansion does not make our continent more stable and secure.” Asked what Russia’s response would be, Peskov replied, “Everything will depend on how this [NATO] expansion process plays out, the extent to which military infrastructure moves closer to our borders.”
Dmitry Suslov, the deputy director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies of the Higher School of Economics, told TASS that he believes that such a step will worsen the security of the Nordic countries, because, even according to Western estimates, “at this moment the level of threats to Finland and Sweden from Russia is zero.” Russia “will have to create a fortified military border with Finland,” said Suslov, an expert of the Valdai discussion club. “Moscow will begin to see both Finland and Sweden as a source of military threat.”
