NATO vote imminent Russian reconnaissance aircraft violates Swedish airspace
04/30/2022, 22:17
For the Kremlin, Finland and Sweden to join NATO would be a bitter defeat. Just before a decision is made in both countries, a Russian plane enters Swedish airspace. Stockholm reacted angrily.
A Russian reconnaissance plane has illegally entered Swedish airspace. The AN-30 propeller-driven aircraft temporarily breached Swedish airspace on Friday night, the Swedish Army General Staff said in the afternoon. She was observed and photographed by the Swedish side.
The Ministry of Defense in Stockholm condemned the incident as “completely unacceptable”. Given the “general security situation” in particular, the airspace breach was “very inappropriate”. “Sweden’s sovereignty must always be respected,” Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist was quoted as saying by SVT television. Sweden will protest through diplomatic channels.
The incident came at a time when Sweden, like Finland, is discussing NATO membership in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. According to Swedish media reports, both countries could submit their application for NATO membership as early as mid-May. The heads of state and government of NATO’s 30 countries could then theoretically discuss this at their summit in Madrid at the end of June.
Finland’s president wants to make a decision on May 12
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö intends to announce his own position on the matter soon. In an interview with the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Niinistö said he intends to present his position in NATO by May 12 at the latest. Finnish parliamentary groups meet on this date. Two days later, Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democratic Party also plans to present its position. Ultimately, the president and government make a joint decision on a possible Finnish candidacy for NATO.
Both Niinistö and Marin have yet to publicize their position on the NATO debate reignited by the war in Ukraine. However, there are many indications that Finland could apply for inclusion in the defense alliance in the coming weeks. The Nordic EU country is coordinating closely with its neighbor Sweden, which is also a NATO partner but not a member of the alliance.
During a visit to his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde in Helsinki on Friday, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said it was very important for the two countries to take decisions “in the same direction and within the same timeframe”. Russia had repeatedly warned Finland and Sweden about the “consequences” of NATO membership. In both countries, public approval of this increased significantly with the war in Ukraine.