Finland’s NATO entry: “A threat to Russia’s security”

The Kremlin has described the expansion of the military alliance after Finland’s accession as an “attack on Russia’s security and national interests” – and announced countermeasures.

Russia has criticized its neighbor Finland’s NATO accession as a threat to its own security. “NATO expansion is an attack on our security and Russia’s national interests,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency. Accordingly, Russia is forced to take countermeasures. He didn’t say what that might be.

At the same time, he rejected the thesis that Finland’s accession to NATO was tantamount to Ukraine’s accession, which Russia feared. “The situation with Finland is fundamentally different from the situation with Ukraine,” said Peskov.

Finland has never become “anti-Russia” and there have been no disputes with its neighbors to the north. “The situation in Ukraine is the other way around and potentially much more dangerous.” For this reason, Russia also began its “special military operation” – as Moscow calls its war of aggression against Ukraine.

Stoltenberg: Moscow misjudges NATO and Finland

Finland is to be ceremoniously admitted to NATO as the 31st member this afternoon in Brussels. Just a few years ago, the western defense alliance thought it was unthinkable that Finland could become one of its members, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg before the admission ceremony. “Now it will be a full member of our alliance and that is really historic.” Moscow must finally say goodbye to “misjudgments” that NATO is not determined to protect Finland. “And that makes Finland safer and stronger, and safer for all of us.”

Stoltenberg also underlined Finland’s self-determination under the umbrella of NATO: “There will be no NATO troops in Finland without Finland’s consent.” However, it cannot be ruled out that more NATO maneuvers could be held there.

Stoltenberg also met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who would later attend the meeting of his NATO counterparts. It should also be about “long-term support” for Kiev.

War in Ukraine changed Finland’s neutrality

Finland has been neutral for decades and, until last year, was not seeking to join NATO. A change of opinion among the population only began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

In May, Finland and Sweden applied to join the military alliance. While the Swedes have to wait because of differences with Turkey and a pending parliamentary vote in Hungary, the Finns were accepted in record time.