Finnish Ministers Krista Mikkonen (Interior), Pekka Haavisto (Foreign Policy) and Antti Kaikkonen (Defense) on April 13, 2022 in Helsinki. MARKKU ULANDER / AFP
This is not yet an application for NATO membership, but it is hard not to see this as a first step towards candidacy. Officially, the strategic report presented by the government in Helsinki on Wednesday 13 April can only serve as a basis for the discussions that will take place in Parliament in the coming weeks. While the defense and foreign ministers insisted on the importance of the democratic process, the condition had little place in their statements as they vowed to make a decision “in the coming weeks.”
The 53-page report is an addendum to the most recent strategic analysis released by the government in November 2020. The goal: to assess the impact of the Russian offensive against Ukraine on Finland’s security and the resulting alternatives. now in the country of 5.5 million people who share a 1,300 km border with Russia. As a member of the European Union (EU) since 1995, Finland is militarily non-aligned while developing a stronger partnership with NATO.
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In the opening lines of the report, the Finnish government first points the finger at Moscow’s responsibility for “bringing about a fundamental change in the security environment and security policy of Finland and Europe.” The war in Ukraine has shown that Russia is “ready to use extensive military force against civilian targets in order to pursue its political goals”.
The report clarifies that membership “will not oblige Finland to accept nuclear weapons, permanent bases or troops on its territory”.
In this context, the government lists the benefits of membership in the Atlantic Alliance: The most significant impact (…) would be that Finland would be part of NATO’s collective defense and would be covered by the security guarantees under Article 5. This mechanism, set out in Mutual assistance from NATO members in the event of aggression would “significantly” increase the deterrent effect of Finland’s defenses “because it would be based on the capabilities of the entire alliance”. Another advantage: The threshold for the use of military force in the Baltic Sea region would rise, which would strengthen the long-term stability of the region. »
The report said that membership “will not oblige Finland to accept nuclear weapons, permanent bases or troops on its territory” and that the country, which recently announced, will invest €2.2 billion over the next four years spending on its defense “will continue to maintain and develop a strong national defense capability”.
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