After decades of collapse, Finland seems poised to seek shelter under NATO’s vast defensive umbrella. Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who met her Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson on Wednesday, highlighted the change in mindset that many of us here have been feeling.
As the horrors of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine grow every day, politicians and people in Finland – a country that has long prided itself on its neutrality – have become more outspoken in their presentation. expressed support for joining NATO.
The war of Russian President Putin has
counterproductiveAt least in one respect: His attempt to get Ukraine – and other European countries on Russia’s doorstep – to turn away from the prospect of joining NATO, seems to promote some move closer to the US-led military alliance.
Indeed, Putin’s war is redrawing
security and defense policy of modern Europe, though perhaps not in the way he imagined. The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will be one of the
the biggest geopolitical changes in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Putin’s miscalculation has brought us to where we are now – diving into negotiations on speeding up the timetable for Finland’s accession to the military pact. The question is no longer whether Finland will join NATO, but how quickly we can make that happen.
Nestled in Northwestern Europe, with a population of around 5.5 million, Finland is home to what is believed to be
happiest person in the world. We have a
high per capita incomestellar
educational results and praise
health care system. But our sense of contentment was shattered with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland and Russia share a 1,300-kilometer (830-mile) border.
As a small country with Russia compared to its neighbors, Finland, out of necessity, has always pursued very pragmatic politics. At the center of
Finnish Realpolitik is the idea that, while clearly being a Western democracy, we should not unnecessarily provoke Russia. But the atrocities in Ukraine changed our minds.
Six months ago,
only a quarter of Finns support NATO membership. Despite our proximity to the Russian giant, people here
history denied membership in NATO. We always feel we have all the security we need. We trust that dialogue and
Trade with Russia will ensure peace in Europe. And, while we are not members of NATO, we have
close cooperation with the transatlantic alliance, even
participate in military drills by the time.
A month ago, I could not have imagined that I would need to stock up on food supplies in the event of a crisis, or prepare for Russian retaliation if Finland asked to join NATO. Like so many others in my country, I feel that Europe’s balance of power is stable enough. In fact, non-alignment has been at the heart of Finland’s foreign and security policy since the end of World War II.
But the invasion of Ukraine created a growing sense of omen among my compatriots. Support for joining NATO has skyrocketed: Now
60% Finns want to join the union, according to recent polls.
“There is no other way to secure security than under NATO deterrence and the common defense as guaranteed by
Article 5 of NATOMarin said Wednesday, referring to the provision that if one NATO member were attacked, everyone else in the 30-member alliance would rally to defend the organization.
So, what took us so long? Why aren’t the Finns rushing to join NATO before it becomes a foreign and defense policy imperative? Finland’s past reluctance is based partly on worries about losing its non-aligned status that has allowed us to play a mediator role in global conflicts.
Many Finns fear becoming a military outpost on the easternmost tip of the West. While member states see NATO as a defensive alliance, some see NATO as an alliance of offensive capabilities and aspirations. Sure, Moscow has. Joining NATO always seems to run the risk of puncturing the Russian bear.
Russia has threatened serious economic and military consequences if Finland or Sweden applies to join NATO. Moscow even
threatened on Thursday to introduce
nuclear weapons to the Baltic region if they join the alliance. Decision-makers and the public must understand all the ways Russia can try to strengthen us as we move forward. With their high media literacy and blessed with one of the best education systems in the world, Finns are less likely to fall victim to Russian disinformation.
During the period between the official application and the actual accession to the alliance, Finland will not have the security shield of NATO. But we worry less about military aggression than other ways Russia can make life difficult for us.
Maybe Moscow will try to instill fear in us by massing its troops near the Finnish border. And experts say joining NATO will make us more vulnerable to cyberattacks. We saw proof of that this month, when
Government websites have been hacked as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a video address to the Finnish parliament.
NATO membership will add a lot of added value to Finland’s defense against Russia, but that’s not the be-all and end-all. The main responsibility for the defense of Finland will always lie with us.
For a country of our size, Finland has a strong defense force and our government is determined to make it even stronger. Earlier this month, the government allocated a
additional 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) to protect our nation for the next four years – a direct response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
The people of this country still remember
Winter War 1939, when the Soviets thought they could easily invade Finland but were quickly repulsed. It was a foreshadowing of the war now being waged by the brave Ukrainians against the more powerful Russian invader. Finland still faces a geopolitical balancing act, but cannot allow itself to shrink in the face of neighborhood bullies. Doing so will only invite aggression.
It is clear that there are no limits to what Putin is willing to do to advance his geopolitical interests. In the end, in fact, it was Putin who made NATO accession stronger than ever.
