It’s official: Finland has asked to join NATO. Sweden should do it today or tomorrow, leaving behind decades of neutrality. “There nuclear threat it is very serious, “explained Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. “We can no longer believe that there will be a future of peace alongside Russia by being alone ».
NATO and the United States are confident that both countries will be accepted and that Turkish reserves will be exceeded. Ankara, through its Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, asked “Security guarantees” on the presence, in the two Nordic countries, of Kurdish organizations which he considers “terrorist”, such as the PKK. For the accession of the two countries, the consent of the Turkish Parliament will be required, together with that of the other 29 members. Both Cavusoglu and Erdogan’s spokesman have made it clear “that in the end a solution can be found”.
According to Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, “so far, there seems to be no immediate problems comingAnd, although “stunned” by the comments of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he said he was not “worried” about the possibility that Turkey would block entry into NATO. “I think there will still be a lot of discussion and I’m not that worried about that.”
Up until three months ago, neither Finland nor Sweden envisaged joining NATO, but after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the situation has changed profoundly: the voters of the two Nordic countries have begun to fear for their safety, as confirmed by the polls. Obviously, Vladimir Putin does not like NATO enlargement. His “calm and cold” reaction at the confirmation of Finland’s decision, however, he surprised the president of the Finnish Republic. “Actually, the surprise was that he took it so calmly,” Niinisto explained Cnn. “But in security policy, especially when talking to Russia, you have to keep in mind that what Putin said doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on alert.”
According to the Kremlin communiqué, Putin called Finland “a mistake” “Abandon its traditional policy of military neutrality”, and this “it would adversely affect Russian-Finnish relationsbuilt with mutual benefits in the spirit of good neighborliness ».
Source: Vanity Fair
