Columns Will one of the largest NATO armies be born in the Nordic countries?

Last On Wednesday, a turning point affecting Finland’s security policy was reached – albeit for a different reason than generally expected.

It was known in advance that the government would submit a security policy report to Parliament. Its pro-NATO content came as no big surprise.

Instead, the real news of the day was a scoop on a Swedish newspaper about the positive NATO stance of Swedish Social Democratic Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

The timing seemed politically perfect. The news came just moments before Andersson and Prime Minister Sanna Marin (sd) met in Stockholm. At the press conference, Andersson did not even try to challenge the press information very vigorously.

Hours Later, the Finnish Parliament was presented with a topical report emphasizing that Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership would increase the stability of the Baltic Sea region in the longer term. Simultaneous accession processes could also make it easier to prepare for and respond to a possible reaction from Russia, the report said.

If Andersson turned the Swedish demars into a NATO position, that would be the best possible news for Finland in this situation. Especially if Sweden submitted its application at the same time as Finland.

A strong joint Nordic military force would thus be formed within NATO, together with Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Sweden’s participation would ensure that Finland does not remain a buffer state with a long eastern border in NATO. A major defensive “bastion” would be built in the north, described an experienced military expert.

Bastion is an interesting parable. The fortification system developed during the knights was progressive, as different parts of it were able to participate in the defense of other parts. The sharp-angled fortress was designed so that there were no dead corners in front of it. The cannon fire always extended in front of the adjacent bastions.

The idea of ​​a Nordic bastion becomes clearer when the whole is viewed as a common military force from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Ocean. The Nordic countries would form one of the largest NATO armies. Depending on the calculation method, the ranking would even be in the top five. The Finnish Army is of great importance for investment.

The Nordic air defense would be the largest in Western Europe. According to experts, for example, the number of the current two hundred first-line fighters would be larger than the corresponding number of equipment deployed in northwestern Russia.

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The Nordic countries would form one of the largest NATO armies.

In addition to adequate equipment and troops, a unified command system, intelligence provided by NATO and the United States, and military security of supply would have a significant defense impact, thus not resting solely on NATO security guarantees.

Whole would support the traditional Nordic stability policy. It will continue to be important in the future, as Russia will always have a security interest near the Finnish border in the St. Petersburg area. Stability policy has always emphasized that a strong military force is only for defense.

The following over the months, the history of the Baltic Sea is being rewritten. The task of Finland’s foreign and security policy leadership is not easy, as success requires applying the gas and brake at the same time.

Speed ​​is needed to ensure that the application is submitted well in advance of the Madrid Summit. Maltti is necessary in that one of the most important decisions in the history of Finland is considered by Parliament in sufficient depth before the application is submitted.

A more invisible but very important political task is to keep the Swedish demarche government involved in the NATO ride. In a unified bastion, it is better to defend stability while safeguarding common values ​​and a shared Nordic understanding of open democracy.

The author is the corresponding editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat.