Finland officially declares it will seek NATO membership: ‘A new era’

HELSINKI — The Finnish government officially announces its intention to join NATO, as Sweden’s ruling party is set to hold a decisive meeting that could pave the way for a joint application.

Less than three months after Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, the move is a stunning reversal of Finland’s policy on military non-alignment dating back more than 75 years.

Sweden, which has been militarily non-aligned for more than two centuries, is expected to make a similar announcement expected tomorrow.

“Today, the President of the Republic and the Government’s Foreign Policy Committee have jointly agreed that Finland will apply for NATO membership, after consulting parliament. This is a historic day. A new era is opening,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto tells reporters today.

Finland’s parliament will convene to debate the membership proposal tomorrow.

“We hope the parliament will confirm the decision to apply for NATO membership during the coming days. It will be based on a strong mandate,” Prime Minister Sanna Marin says.

An overwhelming majority of Finnish MPs back the decision, after Marin’s Social Democratic Party said it was in favor of membership.

“Hopefully we can send our applications next week together with Sweden,” Marin said yesterday.

The two Nordic countries broke their strict neutralities after the end of the Cold War by joining the EU and becoming partners to NATO in the 1990s, solidifying their affiliation with the West.

But the concept of full NATO membership was a non-starter in the countries until the war in Ukraine saw public and political support for joining the military alliance soar.

Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia, has been leading the charge, while Sweden appears anxious at being the only non-NATO country around the Baltic Sea.