According to Mika Aaltola, director of the Foreign Policy Institute, the actions of the USA are strategically wise. The United States does not want to give the impression that it would refer Finland to NATO, Aaltola analyzes.
“A warm welcome, Finland.”
So did the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg.
However, the top management in the United States remained silent.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not comment publicly on the matter, nor did the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Nor did the President of the United States Joe Biden.
It is the director of the Foreign Policy Institute Mika Aaltolan according to strategically wise.
– Tacit approval by the United States is enough. It is strategically wise that the United States does not take an active role in guiding Finland to NATO, Aaltola says.
Because the United States has such a strong position in NATO, the country’s leadership is now silent, according to Aaltola. In order not to accidentally give the impression that the USA would attract or manipulate Finland to NATO.
– It is not worth falling into the strategic trap of Russia, where Russia is falsely pretending that all NATO enlargement is a manipulation of the United States. That has never been the case, but traditionally it has been a bit difficult to get to NATO, Aaltola says.
According to Aaltola, the attitude of the United States is such that NATO must be wanted, and Finland itself must show that it wants to be a part of it.
“The United States will then make sure that NATO’s doors remain open,” says Aaltola.
Aaltola points out that, in principle, NATO is ultimately about the security guarantees given by the United States and the nuclear umbrella, ie the intimidation under the protection of the member states. Finland has been given a clear green light for NATO membership from the United States.
“What else is needed for the United States to make things happen,” says Aaltola.
The United States also showed support for Finland’s NATO intentions yesterday. So the Democratic chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez as the highest-ranking Republican Jim Risch yesterday expressed support for Finland’s accession to NATO.
The new members of NATO must be approved by the Senate. According to Menendez, the United States is already working to ensure that Finland and Sweden make a smooth transition to NATO.
– I think the United States is fattening the process so that it is smooth for Finland, Aaltola says.
Risch stated that Finland’s announcement was a huge step for the future of transatlantic security. Risch says that he is committed to supporting Finland in its decision.