Ukraine war: Finland’s leaders back joining Nato ‘without delay’
- Announcement paves way for Nato alliance to expand amid Russia’s war in Ukraine
- Finland’s neighbour Sweden is expected to decide on joining Nato in coming days
Finland’s president and prime minister said on Thursday they were in favour of joining Nato and a formal decision would be taken this weekend, after Russia’s war in Ukraine sparked a swift U-turn in opinion.
The Kremlin immediately responded to the announcement, saying Finnish membership in the Western military alliance was “definitely” a threat to Russia.
“The expansion of NAto and the approach of the alliance to our borders does not make the world and our continent more stable and secure,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Russia’s foreign ministry said Moscow would be “forced to take reciprocal steps, military-technical and other, to address the resulting threats to its national security”.
Neighbouring Sweden, which like Finland has been military non-aligned for decades, is also expected to announce its decision in the coming days, very likely at a meeting on Sunday of Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democratic Party.
The two countries are widely seen submitting their membership bids in unison.
“Finland must apply for Nato membership without delay,” President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in a joint statement.