Finland confirms it will join NATO, giving up decades of neutrality

CNN reported that on May 15, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö held a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, announcing that Finland would apply to join the country. NATO. The move must be approved by the Finnish parliament before Helsinki can apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

“We hope that the Parliament will approve the decision to join NATO in the coming days, with the strong support of the President of Finland. We have been in close contact with the governments of the member states. NATO and NATO itself,” Prime Minister Marin said at a press conference in Helsinki.

The move will bring the US-led military alliance to Finland’s 1,340km border with Russia, but could take months to complete due to the legislatures of all 30 current NATO members. must approve new applicants.

The move also risks provoking a Russian response. Russian President Vladimir Putin In a May 14 phone call with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Finland’s entry into NATO would be a “mistake”, according to a Kremlin statement. Also on May 14, Russia cut off the electricity supply to Finland after problems receiving payments.

Since the end of World War 2, when Finland was invaded by the Soviet Union, the country has not aligned militarily and is nominally neutral to avoid provoking Russia. But the conflict in Ukraine changed that calculus.

President Niinistö on May 14 called to inform President Putin of Helsinki’s intention to join NATO, saying that “Russia’s requirements by the end of 2021 are to prevent countries from joining NATO and Russia’s war in Ukraine February 2022 changed the security environment of Finland”.

Switzerland expressed similar disappointment and expected a move to join NATO as well.

Both countries have met many of the criteria for NATO membership, including having a democratic political system based on a market economy; fair treatment of ethnic minority groups; commitment to resolving conflicts peacefully; ability and willingness to contribute militarily to NATO operations; and commitment to the implementation of military-democratic relations and institutions.

However, NATO member Turkey, which presents itself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, expressed reservations about admitting Finland and Sweden to the union. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he did not positively see Finland and Sweden joining NATO, accusing both countries of being home to “Kurdish” terrorist organizations.