Finland and Sweden are one step closer to joining NATO

• Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said her country would decide in the coming weeks whether to join NATO. “
• We must be prepared for any action by Russia,” Marin told a joint news conference with her Swedish counterpart. “
• Russia has recently threatened Sweden and Finland that if they join NATO, Russia will respond by any means to protect its security, implying that the countries could also face a military attack as happened with Ukraine.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said her country would decide in the coming weeks whether to join NATO.

“We must be prepared for any action by Russia,” Marin told a joint news conference with her Swedish counterpart.

“The difference between being a partner and being a member is very clear and will remain so. “There is no other way to have security guarantees than to prevent and jointly defend NATO as guaranteed by Article 5,” he said.

“I will not give any kind of timetable when we will make our decisions, but I think it will happen fast enough – in weeks, not months,” Marin said.

Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Russia to the east and faced Soviet invasion during World War II, has maintained neutrality since then and there should be unanimity, he said, adding that political parties would conduct internal debates in parliament in the coming weeks.

Recently, after the Russian invasion, Finnish officials who were opposed to their country joining NATO said they were considering it a reasonable choice.

As for Sweden, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson also said that there are advantages and disadvantages to joining the alliance, but Article 5 is a very important guarantee.

Russia has recently threatened Sweden and Finland that if they join NATO, Russia will respond by any means to protect its security, implying that the countries could also face a military attack as happened with Ukraine.

Read also: Russia’s nuclear threat to the Baltic states – GEOPOLITIKI

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