Finland is taking the first steps towards NATO membership

Finland is taking decisive steps towards NATO membership. As Finnish Foreign Minister Peka Haavisto explained, before entering the EU Branch Ministerial Meeting to be held in Luxembourg on Monday, his government will submit a technical report on security to the Finnish Parliament on Wednesday, setting out the policy for the debate. On joining the Atlantic Alliance.

“In Finland we have an important week this week as the government submits its security report to parliament this Wednesday,” Havisto said. Debate in parallel with neighboring Sweden: “We have excellent co-operation with Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Lindsay. We shared information and calendars this week in Finland. ”

According to Havisto, “The Finnish government will submit its security report to Parliament this Wednesday, which will allow Parliament to consider all aspects of possible NATO membership or other security options. And then, based on this debate, the government will make conclusions with the President of the Republic [Sauli Niinistö]“.

Haavisto acknowledged that “it is very important to see that a similar process is taking place in Sweden with all parliamentary groups. “We are exchanging information, but we understand that both countries make decisions independently.”

When you say that you are coming to a conclusion, do you mean to make a decision on joining NATO? “I leave this to the parliament, because there is a parliamentary debate ahead. But it is clear that Parliament is ready to consider all aspects of the security situation. The goal is to reach a consensus on what needs to be done and then move on if necessary. ”

On the possibility of working at different times in Sweden, Haavisto says: “Calendars are open on both sides of the sea, we can not guarantee which day Parliament will be ready. I also think the Swedish process will take time. But, of course, we are constantly changing the information and hopefully, if we make such decisions, they will come at once. ”

Former Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja commented on the possible alliance between Finland and Sweden in the media this weekend. “The optimal situation would be if the decision to join NATO was made, both countries would be chosen and, of course, cooperation in the field of defense would be easier and simpler. So far we have had a very valuable and important defense collaboration. Finland does not set borders or obstacles to the depth of defense cooperation with Sweden, but at a time when the threats are becoming real, they have begun to consider joining NATO, which is what it says.

NATO opens its doors

These are two historically neutral countries after World War II that did not join NATO. But now, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine brings them even closer to the Atlantic Alliance. The 1340-kilometer border between Finland and Russia was a compelling reason to maintain good relations with Moscow, but the positions are moving in a way that was unimaginable two months ago.

Finland, which did not join the EU until 1995 – like Sweden and Austria – had a historic relationship with Russia: it was part of the Russian Empire, from which it became independent in 1917. Later, at the beginning of World War II, Moscow tried to retake the territory, but it did not succeed in 1939-1940. Later, in 1941-1944, the conflict with Russia was linked to the Axis Powers – Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy.

According to a recent poll, 62% of Finns would be in favor of NATO membership. And high-level negotiations are already under way between NATO and Finland and Sweden on hypothetical membership. “We know they can easily join the Alliance if they decide to do so,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the entrance to the Atlantic Alliance Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. “I hope that all allies will welcome them to join.”

In this regard, one of the security issues to be considered is the period when the entry is requested and accepted. “In the medium term, I’m confident we will find ways to address any concerns you may have about a potential application and final ratification,” Stoltenberg said. In other words, the Allies will have the opportunity to offer guarantees to the two candidates before the final entry: “If they submit an application, we will sit down and find a way to solve this problem. “I think the accession process for these countries can be quite fluid, we know they are already very close to NATO.”

“After the invasion [rusa sobre Ucrania] “Some mechanisms have been activated to further integrate Finland and Sweden into our discussions and meetings and activities in NATO,” Stoltenberg said. “They have to decide whether they want to apply for membership.”

Finland’s decision to join NATO should be made in the spring, Finnish Prime Minister Sana Marin told the leadership of the Social Democratic Party last Saturday. Marin told the meeting that Russia “is not a neighbor as they thought,” adding that Finland ‘s relations with Russia have changed “irreversibly”.

Recently, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson, for her part, also expressed a desire to consider joining NATO.

Bilateral protection in the EU

Sweden and Finland have already asked for it a few weeks ago, and the rest of the Community’s partners have also agreed to activate the EU’s mutual assistance mechanism in the event of a threat. In other words, Russia’s neighbor’s non-NATO countries, where Article 5 commands that the Alliance will protect any of its members are attacked, Sweden and Finland have asked the EU to prepare if Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to cross. Its borders with its troops.

The day after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned Finland and Sweden of “harmful military and political consequences” if they tried to join NATO. Zazharova made the announcement at a news conference in Moscow on February 25, where she assured that the move could lead to a serious response from Russia.

“We see the Finnish government’s commitment to a policy of military compromise as an important factor in ensuring security and stability in Northern Europe,” the foreign minister said in a statement compiled by The Guardian.

The Prime Ministers of Finland and Sweden, Sana Marin and Magdalena Anderson, issued a statement on March 8.

The clause requested by Stockholm and Helsinki has been covered by Article 42 7 7 of the EU Treaty since 2009. It states that EU (EU) countries have an obligation to assist each other if one of them is “an object of armed aggression on its territory”. This support seeks to align with possible commitments within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

No formal procedures are defined and it is not clear in the article that the assistance should be military, allowing for the participation of neutral countries such as Austria, Finland, Ireland and Sweden.

France used the mutual aid point suffered as a result of the attacks on 17 November 2015 and has since maintained bilateral contacts with other EU countries to determine what kind of assistance is available. Some countries have expressed a desire to join terrorist operations in Syria and Iraq. Others were willing to increase their presence in other international missions, allowing French troops to be deployed in other areas.

EU countries need to specify and mutually agree on the type of assistance available. The EU plays a limited role but can catalyze and coordinate the process.

MEPs passed a resolution in 2016 stating that the enactment of the clause offered “an opportunity to prepare the ground for a strong and sustainable European Defense Union”.