President Sauli Niinistö said that Finland had taken the initiative in the meeting with US President Joe Biden. Finland contacted us earlier this week and the meeting was lightning fast.
– Finland has clearly moved towards closer co-operation with the United States.
With these words, the president Sauli Niinistö answered the question of whether the visit was moved by the President of the United States Joe Biden Finland for closer co-operation with the military alliance NATO.
President Sauli Niinistö said that the most important part of the visit was that Finland and the United States were now to “set in motion a process to increase defense and security co-operation”.
According to him, the process involves concrete defense issues, not so much membership issues. This was a direct answer to whether the process included membership in NATO.
According to the President, in addition to Finland, other Nordic countries are also involved in the process of intensifying co-operation with the United States.
Underlining this, President Joe Biden wanted to call the Swedish Prime Minister at the end of the visit To Magdalena Andersson. The call was also successful.
President Niinistö said that the meeting with President Biden was smooth.
– We were in contact with the United States from the beginning of the week and the meeting took place at lightning speed on Friday.
NATO does not know temporary security guarantees
President Niinistö once again reminded that the doors of NATO are still open if Finland wants to join.
As membership requires the approval of all NATO countries, the process depends on the schedules and rhythms of each country’s own parliament.
He suggested that intensified European security policy co-operation and increased solidarity could hasten possible NATO membership if Finland decided to apply for it.
– It could mean acting quickly.
President Niinistö pointed out. NATO is not aware of temporary security guarantees for the duration of the application process. Instead, he estimates that intensifying security and defense policy cooperation with the United States will in itself increase Finland’s security.
He does not believe that Russia will in any way react specifically to the increasing defense co-operation between Finland and the United States.
– Russia will probably notice it, and it is not a bad thing at all.
The war in Ukraine could also escalate to the detriment
European heads of state have been in contact with the Russian president in recent days Vladimir Putin. Last Friday, the German Chancellor Olof Scholz talked on the phone for an hour with Putin.
President Niinistö said that he had not been in contact with Putin since January.
– I’ve been thinking about it. You must first contact Scholz.
President Niinistö’s speech clearly gave the impression that both he and President Biden had the same picture of European security after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The will to defend of European countries has grown, Europe has become more politically integrated and the transatlantic link has been strengthened.
– We have a common cause in Europe.
President Sauli Niinistö and US President Joe Biden also spoke about the possible escalation of the war in Ukraine.
President Niinistö reminded that NATO has tried to avoid involvement in the war and that the United States has also wanted to emphasize in its own statements that it does not want to take part in the conflict militarily.
He said the situation could escalate quite as a result of a misunderstanding or damage.
– If NATO and Russia were militarily opposed, it would be World War II.