Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing in Moscow this afternoon that “our country would be forced to take steps” if Finland and/or Sweden sought accession to NATO. “We see Finland’s commitment to remain militarily neutral as an important factor for peace and security in Europe.”
When NATO was founded after World War II, Finland and Sweden chose to remain neutral. However, under pressure from Soviet and then Russian geopolitics, membership has always been an important issue, and partnerships are already in place today. Finland, for example, did take part in the deliberations of the NATO member states tonight.
According to a poll in January, 37 percent of Swedes were in favor of membership, 35 percent against, and 28 percent undecided. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there are even more voices to consider membership after all. In Helsinki, Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said yesterday before parliament that “Finland is ready to apply for NATO accession if the issue of national security becomes acute”.