Finland’s PM and president say country must apply to join Nato now
▶ Call to join defensive alliance is a U-turn for the Nordic nation propelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Finland should apply to join Nato, the Nordic nation’s leaders have said in a major policy shift propelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin called on politicians to approve the membership application within days so their country could join the alliance “without delay”.
“Nato membership would strengthen Finland’s security,” they said in a statement issued on Thursday.
“As a member of Nato, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance.”
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of Nato, said Finland would be “warmly welcomed” as the alliance’s 31st member and that the accession process would be “smooth and swift”.
But Russia denounced the proposal, which would double the length of its border with the alliance.
A statement issued by its Foreign Ministry said Moscow would be “forced to take retaliatory steps, both of a military-technical and other nature, in order to stop threats to its national security arising” from Helsinki’s accession.
Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia, has previously stayed away from Nato and sought cordial relations with its large eastern neighbour after two 20th-century wars.
Ms Marin said in January that it was “very unlikely” the country would seek Nato membership on her watch.
But the war in Ukraine that Russia started in February has prompted a rethink from Finland and its neighbour Sweden, where politicians are also expected to decide soon on whether to join the alliance.
On Thursday, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told the European Parliament that his country was concerned by Russia’s unpredictable behaviour and its readiness to wage “high-risk operations” that could cause many deaths.
Polls in both countries show growing support for joining Nato as countries on Europe’s northern and eastern flank bolster their security to face up to Russia.
Finland’s parliament, in which more than two in three MPs support the application, is preparing to hold a debate on Nato membership on Monday.
Moscow’s threats of retaliation had prompted warnings from security chiefs about the potential for Russia to meddle in their political debates.
But politicians including Mr Niinisto say Moscow has only itself to blame for motivating nearby countries to join Nato.
“You caused this. Look at the mirror,” he said on Wednesday, addressing the Kremlin. Moscow views the expansion of Nato as a major security grievance and its demands to keep Ukraine out of the alliance were central to the standoff that preceded the invasion by Russian forces.
A Finnish security review last month found that moving Finland under the umbrella of Nato’s Article 5 guarantee – in which all allies promise to defend one another from attack – would be a more effective deterrent against Russian aggression.
In their joint statement, Ms Marin and Mr Niinisto said they had sought to “give the discussion the space it required” by consulting Nato, Sweden, partner countries and parliamentary groups.
“Now that the moment of decision-making is near, we state our equal views … Finland must apply for Nato membership without delay,” they said.
“We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.”
A membership application would have to be approved by all 30 of the defensive bloc’s existing allies.
But Mr Stoltenberg and many member states including Britain, the US and Germany have expressed support for admitting Finland.
Helsinki and Stockholm already co-operate closely with Nato and took part in recent drills in Europe’s high north called Cold Response 2022.
Diplomats from the two countries have attended numerous Nato meetings since the war in Ukraine broke out.