Policy|Security policy
According to Kaikkonen, the most important thing in NATO now is the war in Ukraine and its calming down.
Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen (center) estimates during his visit to the United States that now is not the time to apply for Finland’s NATO membership.
“It’s probably not the right time right now to post that membership application. Discussions are still underway and the parties are considering their own settings, ”Kaikkonen said During his visit to the United States late Wednesday Finnish time. He met with the U.S. Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon Lloyd Austinin.
According to Kaikkonen, the most important thing in NATO now is the war in Ukraine and its calming down.
“It seems that the idea behind NATO is that what is paramount now, understandably and justifiably, is how to bring this war in Ukraine to a calm, a ceasefire and perhaps a negotiation process to begin,” Kaikkonen said.
Kaikkonen said that he had raised Finland’s possible NATO membership in his conversation with the Minister of Defense Austin. He said he also received assurances from Austin that the open door policy will continue.
Also The Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson said Tuesdaythat Sweden should not join NATO now, as it would undermine the security situation in Europe.
Andersson’s statement provoked criticism in Sweden. He blamed it including the pro-NATO opposition leader, chairman of the moderate coalition Ulf Kristersson. Later on Wednesday, Andersson noted Dagens Nyheter in an interviewSweden will not close the door on NATO forever, but at the moment there is no reason to give up non – alignment.
Finland and European security policy as a whole went to a new position in February, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
In Finland, the government is preparing a report, which is intended to serve as a basis for a parliamentary debate on changes in Finland’s foreign and security policy. The report could be completed in weeks. Also many parties have begun work on reviewing their own positions.
The Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin (sd) described on Wednesday that the aim is to build a national consensus on, among other things, NATO membership. Support for the military alliance has risen rapidly in Finland and Sweden.
Marin was also asked on Wednesday about Sweden’s Andersson comment on NATO, but he did not comment directly on it. However, he emphasized that Finland would in any case hold a debate this spring on possible NATO membership.
“I consider it very important that Finland and Sweden have a discussion together. We will not put that theme aside. ”
Previously last week, the Speaker of Parliament Matti Vanhanen (Central) summed up Finland’s NATO debate on how to preserve its own leather without exacerbating the situation.
“Of course we have to think about how we keep our own skin safe without throwing gasoline into the flames of war when everyone else is trying to put it out. This is the dilemma, but this debate only needs to take place in this political process, ” The old man told HS.
Read more: Panic, squabbling and Niinistö’s sudden departure to Washington – during the crazy week of Finnish politics, the parties’ beliefs crumbled: the center and the SDP may be ready for NATO
Read more: US Secretary of Defense: Cooperation with Finland could be done even in space warfare – “a strong back from the White House,” Kaikkonen said after his visit
Read more: Prime Minister Andersson: It goes without saying that Sweden would not be passive if Finland were attacked
Read more: Russia made a huge mistake in showing that its word cannot be trusted, says President Vanhanen
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