HS analysis The masks have now been taken off in European security policy – a situation in which it leaves the

Thursday the worst happened early on: Russia invaded Ukraine.

The president of the Republic Sauli Niinistö reached the senses of all Finns with a single chilling sentence when he stated in the morning that “now the masks have been taken off, only the cold face of the war is visible.”

The words spoken at the press conference at the Presidential Palace were not mere political rhetoric. They will remain permanently in Finland’s political history.

When the masks are taken off, a new face comes to the fore. What kind of security policy situation will Ukraine’s war in Europe leave Finland for?

Too many Finns still live in the misconception that Finland is a small, neutral country between East and West, whose fighters are only the less frightening fighters.

That is a misconception that must now be overcome at the latest.

Finland is not neutral, Finland has chosen its side. Finland is a militarily non-aligned part of the West and the European Union. And even those fighters have long been multipurpose fighters.

Russian The new attack on Ukraine is now testing in a brutal way how water-proof security solutions chosen by Finland can withstand water.

For many Finns, joining the European Union in 1995 was a security policy choice. This is despite the fact that the important Lisbon Treaty did not enter into force until 2009.

The Treaty of Lisbon is central because it strengthened the so-called security guarantees. They mean that EU member states are obliged to help each other militarily, if necessary.

How strong the EU’s security guarantees are and what they mean in practice is a question of eternity. There are many skeptics. The EU is not a defense alliance.

However, the EU is the community on which Finland’s security is largely based. It is almost impossible to imagine a situation where the EU would not be supporting a Member State that is under attack.

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Finland is an important and valued partner for the United States, more important than is generally perceived in Finland.

Finland together with Sweden is one of NATO ‘s closest partners in NATO. NATO has often been told that Finland would be welcome to become a member.

It is difficult for the Finnish state leadership to talk about joining NATO. The reason is that joining is not just about playing, as when talking about a NATO option, but then you have to be serious and serious.

No such determination has been made so far in the current government.

Prime minister Sanna Marinin (sd) It can be deduced from the speeches that NATO membership is not being discussed, at least in the government. However, citizens are talking. According to opinion polls, opposition to joining NATO has declined significantly in recent months.

The situation in Ukraine shows a cold fact: NATO is not sending troops to help non-member countries. That message has been told many times to Finns as well.

If Asking experts which two countries are Finland’s most important partners in security and defense policy would be Sweden and the United States – and not in that order.

Finland and Sweden have been increasing and intensifying their military co-operation for almost a decade. The difference between the countries is that, unlike Sweden, Finland has taken good care of its defense.

Sweden’s biggest weakness is the ground forces that it managed to drive down after the Cold War.

However, Sweden is not quite as weak as is sometimes suggested in public. The country has good as well as modern air and naval forces, not to mention a developed munitions industry.

Finland is an important and valued partner for the United States, more important than is generally perceived in Finland. For years, the United States has sold Finland such advanced munitions that only a few and selected United States allies have received.

The latest example of the exceptionally close distance between Finland and the United States was the fighter deal closed last year.

The United States sold the F-35 fighters to Finland really cheaply, which ensured that Finland would get exactly the number they wanted. It is by no means a coincidence.

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Russia’s major attack on Ukraine revealed the cold face of war mentioned by Niinistö: if you are outside the alliances, you will fight alone.

Finland In recent years, it has built a dimmer – or, in fact, a frenzy of military and security agreements around it.

Shivering in different directions has aroused astonishment. Among other things, the Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen (center) has recalled that cooperation should have a clear goal.

For example, Finland has made several bilateral and multilateral declarations of intent or protocols on defense co-operation with various countries.

These declarations should not be overemphasised, as their significance is essentially symbolic. I don’t think anyone outside the Guard block can understand the whole, if there.

Few people outside the defense administration are also able to name from foreign memory the three European defense projects led by Britain, Germany and France, in which Finland is involved.

President Niinistö emphasized on Thursday after the first news of the attack that nothing is immediately threatening Finland. That is true even though it is the responsibility of the state leadership to reassure the citizens.

However, Russia is a ruthless neighbor ready to go to war to pursue its interests.

Russia’s major attack on Ukraine revealed the cold face of war mentioned by Niinistö: if you are outside the alliances, you will fight alone.

Despite all its partnerships, Finland is vulnerable.