Despite the Russian warning… Finland decides to apply for NATO membership

Finnish President Sauli Ninistö (right) speaks during a press conference on the 15th (local time). At left is Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. [AP = 연합뉴스]

The Finnish government announced on the 15th (local time) that it has decided to apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

According to the AP, AFP, and Archyde.com, Finland’s President Sauli Ninistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin made the announcement at a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on the same day.

“Today, the President and the Government Foreign Policy Committee, after consulting with Parliament, have jointly reached an agreement that Finland will apply for NATO membership,” he said.

The Finnish parliament is expected to discuss the decision on the 16th. A majority of 200 MPs are said to be in favor of joining NATO.

“The government and the president have worked very well to reach an important decision today,” Marin said.

The announcement came three days after President Ninistö and Prime Minister Marin announced on the 12th that “Finland should apply for NATO membership without delay.”

The Associated Press reported that the Finnish parliament is expected to approve it within a few days, which is considered a formal procedure. The AP is predicting that Finland will submit an official application for membership to NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, within the next week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 6th of this month. [AP = 연합뉴스]

Although Finland is a member of the European Union (EU), it has maintained its neutral status in consideration of its relationship with Russia, which borders 1,300 km. However, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of this year, arguments in favor of NATO membership arose.

AFP reported earlier this week that President Ninistö met with reporters this week and said to Russia, “[Finland’s]joining NATO is not at a disadvantage for anyone,” and said to Russia, “You caused this. Look in the mirror.”

Russia has strongly opposed Finland’s discussions ahead of its accession to NATO, by publicly criticizing it.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned on the 12th that if Finland joins NATO, it will take countermeasures including ‘military and technical measures’.

“President Putin said that it would be a mistake for Finland to change its existing policy of military neutrality in the absence of real security threats,” he said in an official statement the day before the Kremlin. will,” he said.

The majority of NATO members welcome Finland’s accession, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on the 13th that “it is not a positive position” is likely to be a variable.

NATO allows new members to join only if the existing member states unanimously agree.

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