Russia has once again warned Finland and Sweden of the “consequences” of joining NATO. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry has not specified what the consequences might be.
15.4. 21:45 • Updated April 15th. 22:40
Foreign minister Pekka Haaviston (Greens) says there is no reason to panic about NATO incitement from Russia. Russia, again on Friday, has warned Finland and Sweden of the “consequences” of joining NATO.
According to Haavisto, Russia’s ideas about Finland’s and Sweden’s membership in NATO have been known for a long time. Thus, the reactions are as expected.
– Russia’s NATO membership is no reason to panic now, Haavisto says.
Spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Marija Zaharovan According to him, the choice is between Finland and Sweden, but according to him, accession would have “consequences for bilateral relations and the overall picture of European security”.
Haavisto says that if Finland submits an application for NATO membership, it will be a matter of the next month or a half, ie before the summer holidays.
– It is good to listen to these messages from Russia, but of course they have to take care of their own safety.
In an interview with ‘s TV news, Haavisto says that the war in Ukraine and the future security solutions in Finland and Sweden are two different things.
“It is not news that Russia is opposed to NATO enlargement, nor is it news that Russia will have to take it into account in its own defense planning,” says Haavisto.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marija Zaharova made a similar statement as early as the end of February, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had already begun.
The government describes the security situation as having changed radically
In the historical report, the government does not take a clear position on whether or not Finland should form an alliance. However, the government explains the rationale for Finland’s NATO membership and how the process could proceed.
If Finland joined NATO, the defense of the military alliance would also be Finland’s security. In NATO, Finland would be part of a large defense alliance whose common defense and deterrence would prevent an attack.
According to the report, failure to react could reduce Finland’s room for maneuver.
Haavisto: Security guarantees discussed with key NATO members
The security policy report states that the most significant impact of possible NATO membership on Finland would be that Finland would be part of NATO’s common defense and within the scope of the security guarantees of the military alliance.
The preventive effect of Finland’s defense would therefore be considerably greater than at present, as it would be supported by the federation.
The report warns that Finland must prepare for large-scale and unpredictable impacts and risks if a membership application is submitted.
An example is the increase in tensions on the border between Finland and Russia.
In any case, processing Finland’s application for NATO membership would take time. There has been a lot of public discussion about whether Finland could already receive security guarantees for the duration of its application.
With Sweden on one foot?
According to Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, the actual security guarantees of Article 5 will come with the NATO agreement. Haavisto says that negotiations with key NATO member states have now focused on political co-operation, security co-operation and, for example, joint exercises.
– There has been talk of this type of matter, which can be summarized while membership is being discussed.
According to Haavisto, the schedule of the application is also affected by whether it is transported on an equal footing with Sweden.
– Finland’s report has now been read extensively in Sweden as well, Haavisto says.
The military forces of the NATO countries are thus available to support each other if necessary, and now Finland’s defense systems are already compatible. Among other things, several countries have the same NH90 helicopter as Finland.
NATO has been opposed in Finland, for example, on the grounds that Finnish soldiers might have to fight in other countries.
The security policy report published on Wednesday states that Finland’s initial contribution to the Alliance’s common defense would be determined in connection with the accession negotiations. Finland would always decide to send troops nationally to NATO operations.
It is stated separately that the most important contribution of Finland, which is a neighbor of Russia, would also be the ability to defend its own territory as a member of NATO. Membership would not oblige Finland to take nuclear weapons, permanent bases or troops into its territory.
The report also states that the simultaneous accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO would make it easier to prepare for and respond to possible reactions from Russia.