After Russia's 'consequences' warning, Finland is 'very likely' to apply to NATO
Key Takeaways:
- Finland is very likely to apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a Finnish cabinet minister told AFP on Friday.
- A 1,300-kilometer border separates Finland and Russia. In 1917, the country gained independence after 150 years of Russian control.
- Any application for membership in NATO must be granted by all 30 NATO member states, which could take anywhere from four to a year.
On Friday, a Finnish cabinet minister told AFP that Finland is quite likely to apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The announcement comes just hours after Russia threatened unspecified "consequences" if Finland and Sweden joined the military alliance.
"At this point, I can say that it is quite likely," European Affairs Minister Tytti Tuppurainen stated, "but the decision has not yet been taken." "The people of Finland appear to have made up their minds, and there is a great majority in favor of NATO membership," she told Sky News in the United Kingdom.
Earlier in the day, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Sweden and Finland joining NATO could negatively affect northern European stability.
"It's no secret that NATO has long had control of these countries' territories and large-scale military exercises. It's clear why the alliance needs this. The goal is to maintain military capability and geographic growth to establish a new flank for Russian threats. "In a statement, Zakharova stated.
Finland and Russia have a 1,300-kilometer border. After 150 years of Russian dominance, the country obtained independence in 1917. During WWII, its outmanned army fought off a Soviet invasion before agreeing to give numerous border areas to Moscow as part of a peace treaty.
Finland remained neutral during the Cold War in exchange for Russian assurances that it would not be invaded.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, on the other hand, has shifted public sentiment in favor of a NATO alliance. According to a recent study conducted by private Finnish broadcaster MTV, 68 percent of Finns support NATO membership, while only 12 percent oppose it.
Any membership proposal must be approved by all 30 NATO member states, which may take anywhere from four months to a year.