Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto explained to the ambassadors the reasons for applying for NATO membership. Finland’s ambassador to Turkey, Ari Mäki, does not want to predict when Turkey will ratify Finland’s membership.
As expected, the meeting of Finnish ambassadors working abroad revolved around two issues. Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which continued for six months, and Finland’s application to become a member of the defense alliance NATO were the main topics of the discussions.
– We woke up on the morning of February 24 to a new world, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto summed up his message to the ambassadors.
In his speech to the ambassadors, Haavisto presented his own five-point assessment of what led Finland to apply for NATO membership.
– Russia is now clearly more ready to take even greater risks compared to previous conflicts in, for example, Georgia, Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, Haavisto explained his thinking.
Haavisto pointed out that Russia’s attack on Ukraine showed that it is capable of putting pressure on its neighbor by concentrating 100,000 soldiers on the border without a general campaign. Russia also continues to define its actions in Ukraine as a special operation, not a war.
One of the reasons for the NATO application was also the fact that at the very beginning of the war, loose talk was heard from Russia about the use of unconventional weapons such as nuclear or chemical weapons.
– Finland has strong defense forces, but it is justified to ask what kind of cooperation would best respond to the threat of unconventional weapons, Haavisto reflected in his speech to the ambassadors.
War has rules
The rules of war, their compliance and international laws have also weighed on the scales. According to Haavisto, Finland supports the fact that the International Criminal Court and the UN investigate war crimes.
Foreign Minister Haavisto’s last justification for applying to NATO was simply that Russia can dictate the defense policy solutions of other countries.
– Russia’s demand for Ukraine and the West has been that NATO should not expand. Our NATO option included the idea that NATO membership will be re-evaluated as the security political situation changes.
The Madrid agreement is on the officials’ table
According to Haavisto, Finland and Sweden are on the threshold of historical change. He believes that Finland’s NATO discussion and the formation of a positive position also influenced the formation of the position in Sweden.
– It is a great advantage for our security that we move forward with Sweden in the NATO process at the same time.
Foreign Minister Haavisto is satisfied with the rapid pace of ratifications of Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications in the NATO countries. The agreement signed with Turkey in June in Madrid is next on the officials’ table. The meeting will still be in Finland during August.
– Now let’s see which authorities of different countries are right to cooperate, says Haavisto.
The image of Finland has not weakened in Turkey
Ambassador of Finland to Turkey Ari Mäki can’t accurately assess how long Turkey needs to ratify Finland’s and Sweden’s applications.
– It can happen during the fall or it can go to next spring.
According to Ambassador Mäki, Finland’s application to NATO has been featured a lot in the Turkish media and there is a public discussion about it.
The conversation has been intermittent. Ambassador Mäki believes that Finland’s image has not weakened in Turkey despite the tough debate.
– Ordinary people haven’t paid that much attention to it. It becomes clear when you talk to them, says ambassador Ari Mäki.