The Head of the Government of Helsinki, Sanna Marin, and that of Stockholm, Magdalena Andesson, both Social Democrats, agreed on their intention to resolve this dilemma soon
Finland and Sweden intend to decide “not in a few months, but in a few weeks” whether to formally apply for NATO membership. The Head of the Government of Helsinki, Sanna Marin, and that of Stockholm, Magdalena Andesson, both Social Democrats, agreed on their intention to resolve this dilemma soon. Something that, according to the Nordic media, indicates that the request to join the NATO summit at the end of June in Madrid could be formalized.
The two Nordic leaders appeared at a joint press conference, after a working meeting in Stockholm focused on the objective of strengthening their cooperation in defense matters. Both Marin and Andersson agreed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced it to “reorient” the line of its security policy. Finland and Sweden are members of the European Union (EU) but not of NATO. Both countries have maintained a certain neutrality for decades. It is a rather theoretical line, since they are countries “associated” with the Atlantic Alliance. But they are not part of its structures nor are they full members.
Finland is closer to doing so than Sweden. Its more than 1,340 kilometers of common border with Russia make the Nordic country especially vulnerable, at least as long as it remains outside the common defensive umbrella. This is how both its head of government and a majority of its population see it. After decades of ambivalence, Finnish public opinion began to favor accession following the invasion of Ukraine. About 68% of its population is now in favor of income.
Sanna would like a joint decision between Stockholm and Helsinki to facilitate the process and make it more solid in the transition to eventual entry into the Alliance. But it seems that the Swedish side needs more time.
The Finnish Parliament is already studying a report of pros and cons from this Wednesday. In Stockholm the issue is still being analyzed within the Social Democratic Party. Last November, Andersson’s formation still refused to bid farewell to its neutral status. He has now annulled that resolution, but formally the final position of the party is still in the “internal debate” phase.
Despite the fact that the Swedish prime minister has publicly been cautious and refuses to set deadlines, the newspaper “Aftonbladet” stated this Wednesday, citing unidentified government sources, that the decision has already been made. The party committee is scheduled to meet on May 24. From there should come a pronouncement favorable to accession. In time, therefore, to be formally presented at the Madrid summit, although with the danger derived from what Moscow’s response will be in this period in which the two countries would still remain in no man’s land, until they receive their ratification by the entire of the member states.
From the Kremlin it was made clear a few days ago that any expansion of NATO, in this case on the Nordic side, implies the danger of regional destabilization. Or, in more direct terms, that it is implicitly considered a new sign of hostility.
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