Finland wants to join NATO as soon as possible, according to President Sauli Niinisto. A possible request from Helsinki will be strongly supported by Berlin, said German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

“I am convinced that there is an overwhelming majority in the Finnish Parliament in favor of a membership request,” Mr. Niinisto told the Süddeutsche Zeitung, expressing hope that in this case, NATO would decide very quickly.

The Finnish Parliament is expected to meet on the issue after Easter and the government will take the relevant decisions before the NATO Summit in June.

“Germany has no advice to give. Whatever decision Finland makes, it can count on German support,” said Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, from Helsinki, where he is paying an official visit.

In the shadow of the geopolitical developments caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both Nordic countries are considering turning to NATO, with the Secretary-General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, stressing that NATO would welcome them.

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Russia, for its part, has repeatedly launched threats against both Sweden and Finland in the event of NATO membership, citing “political and military measures” against them.

A more recent example was the statements – threats of the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peshkov, on Thursday, 7/4, on the British network Sky News. In particular, he said that if the two Nordic countries join NATO, Moscow will have to restore balance by its own measures and will have to make its western wing more complex in terms of its security.

At the same time, in a report that leaves room for multiple interpretations and implications, he mentioned that Russia would not perceive such a move as a threat to its existence, something that would force it to consider the use of nuclear weapons.

With information from: CNN Greece

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