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Finland, Sweden to decide whether to join NATO amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The Global News reported, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday (Apr 13), Finland will make a decision about whether to apply to join the 30-member NATO alliance in the next few weeks.
Until now, Finland and fellow Nordic state and neighbor Sweden have shied away from joining NATO, the U.S.-led alliance founded in 1949 to counter the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced an urgent rethink.
Marin told reporters in a joint news conference in Stockholm with her Swedish counterpart: “There are different perspectives to apply (for) NATO membership or not to apply and we have to analyze these very carefully."
“But I think our process will be quite fast, it will happen in weeks,” said Marin, whose country shares a long border with Russia to the east.
Finland’s government will publish an update of its foreign and security policy in a white paper later on Wednesday (Apr 13).
Sweden is also reviewing its security policy with conclusions expected toward the end of May.
Escalation Scenarios Between Russia and NATO in Ukraine
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it was important to carry out a thorough analysis of whether Sweden should also apply to join NATO.
She said: “There are of course pros and cons with being a member of NATO as there are pros and cons of other security choices."
NATO begins the military exercise ‘Cold Response’ near Russia
“Being a member of NATO, you do have the security with Article 5…,” she said, referring to the alliance commitment to regard an attack on one member as a attack on all. “You also have another responsibility towards other countries.”
Source: globalnews
