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Understand NATO’s advance in Eastern Europe

Russia on Thursday (12) gave a kind of ultimatum to Finland, a country that has begun its process of joining NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the defense association of the West.

As the war in Ukraine approaches 80 days, Russian behavior can be explained by concern that NATO is getting dangerously close to Moscow over the years.

In the first decades of the military alliance, the member countries of NATO were concentrated further west of Europe, away from Russia.

Several nations were neutral or were part of other defense organizations – which gave the Russians a certain security.

From 1991, with the end of the Cold War, what is seen is NATO gaining new members, including countries that were part of the former Soviet Union. And that “safety” distance is formed only by Ukraine and Belarus. Now, Sweden and Finland are talking about the possibility of joining NATO.

Russia speaks of “threat”

Russia has reaffirmed that Finland’s entry into NATO would be a threat. Even so, the country is advancing in the accession process in the search for security guarantees after the invasion of Ukraine. Russia and Finland share a 1,300 kilometer border.

On Thursday, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö defended joining NATO “without delay”. The candidacy still needs to be discussed in Parliament and must be approved in a vote scheduled for early next week.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also influenced the opinion of the Finns. A poll showed that 76% are in favor of joining NATO. Before, it was just 25%.

Since World War II, Finland has maintained a policy of neutrality towards Moscow. But in the 1990s, accession to the European Union and the signing of the mutual defense clause reinforced Finland’s rapprochement with the West.

The NATO accession process takes about a year, as it needs to be approved by the parliaments of all 30 countries that are part of the alliance. However, the organization’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, promised a smooth and fast process.

In Germany, the European Union’s greatest power, Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered full support to Finland’s intention to join NATO.

Sweden’s government, which has strong historical and military ties to Finland, could also formalize its candidacy in the coming days.

The entry of the two Nordic countries into the military alliance would be one of the biggest transformations to the European security system in decades, putting Western troops within hours of the Russian border.

Russian government spokesman Dimitry Peskov declared that Finland’s decision was a threat to Russia. And that NATO expansion will not make Europe or the world more stable.

He also stated that it is regrettable that Finland has joined in “hostile attitudes” from the European Union, and that this gives reason for a symmetrical response.

Source: CNN Brasil

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