Finland finally decides to apply for NATO membership

Finland wants to become a NATO member state and will apply for membership in the Alliance, Finnish President Saul Niinsto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said 15 May.

This announcement opens the possibility of expanding the 30-member military alliance as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.

“Today, the president of the Republic and the Government's Foreign Policy Committee have agreed that Finland should apply for NATO membership, following consultations with Parliament. This is a historic day. A new era has opened”, the president and chief minister of this state said during the joint media conference in Helsinki on 15 May.

Last week, both the president and the Finnish prime minister voiced a major policy change that has been prompted by the war in Ukraine in favour of NATO membership.

Finland shares a 1,300km border with Russia, and has been a neutral state, militaryly, for 75 years.

But after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, public and political opinion changed dramatically, in favour of membership.

Russia has said it would be a mistake for Helskin to join the Western military alliance, and this would damage bilateral reports.

Earlier this week, Niinsto told reporters that “NATO membership would not be against anyone”.

He said his response to Russia would be: “You trigger this. Look at yourself in the mirror”

The Finnish Parliament is expected to support the decision during a session in the coming days, but such is considered formalism.

This Helsinki report comes as NATO diplomats meet in Berlin to discuss further support for Ukraine and movements from Finland and Sweden, but others, who want to join the alliance.