Sanna Marin

Finland will take a decision about whether to apply to join the U.S.-led NATO alliance in the next few weeks, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday, ...

There is no other way to have security guarantees than under NATO's deterrence and common defence as guaranteed by NATO's Article 5," she said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

The Scandinavian country bordering Russia is beginning the process with an official assessment of how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has changed its security ...

“But I am confident that if they apply, we will sit down, and we’ll find a way to address that issue.” The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. “It would be a huge blow to NATO if their open-door policy is undermined.” Russia has warned of “serious military-political consequences” and “retaliation” should the two countries join. The last independent newsletter in Russia suspended its operations. Even without NATO protection, Finland and Sweden should theoretically have some measure of collective security. Sweden and Finland already have deep ties to the alliance. They bring very capable militaries,” she said. Vanhanen expects that NATO will find ways to “signal that Sweden and Finland are protected” in the interim, such as making a political commitment to ensuring safe accession or stepping up military cooperation in some way. In a briefing last week, Julianne Smith, the American ambassador to NATO, said the United States would “welcome” both countries if they want to join the alliance. The question of expanding the alliance was discussed last week at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Both NATO and U.S. officials stressed that it is up to the countries to decide whether they want to join — while signaling that they will be welcomed if they apply. “We will have very careful discussions, but we will also not take any more time than we have to in this process because the situation is of course very severe,” Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin told reporters last week, suggesting a decision could come by late June.

PM Sanna Marin and Swedish counterpart discuss security concerns as polls pivot towards membership.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and her Swedish counterpart say a decision could come by late June.

Marin said parliament would debate an official assessment of how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a “change of our security environment” and evaluate making a historic shift in Finland’s defence posture. “There are different perspectives to apply [for] NATO membership or not to apply and we have to analyse these very carefully,” Marin told reporters in the Swedish capital Stockholm on Wednesday. Finland will make a decision about whether to apply to join the 30-member NATO alliance in the next few weeks, Prime Minister Sanna Marin told reporters in a joint news conference with her Swedish counterpart.

By invading Ukraine, Vladimir Putin wanted to bring his neighbor to heel and make the West think twice about expanding alliances towards Russia's borders.

This would take a very long time and could also face stiff opposition from Hungary, which is already in a nasty battle with Brussels over its violations of the rule of law, causing the EU to propose suspending central funding to Budapest. "We have repeatedly said that the alliance itself is more of a tool for confrontation. The only serious objection could come from Hungary, whose leader is close with Putin, but NATO officials think it would be able to twist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's arm. Finland's foreign minister Pekka Haavisto said Monday that it was "important" that neighboring Sweden was following a "similar process" which he expects to take time. But for now, as that unity largely holds, it is clear that Putin's desire to belittle the Western alliance has backfired -- and that the strongman has secured pariah status for his nation, possibly for years to come. Nor has Putin's invasion motivated Ukraine to pull back from its desire for closer integration with the West. While the country is unlikely to join NATO, its efforts to join the European Union have accelerated since the start of the war.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Ms Marin said: “We have to be prepared for all kinds of actions from Russia ...

Finland joining Nato could also see US-allied troops within 120 miles of St Petersburg. We have to think about what is the best for Sweden for our security and peace.” The security landscape has completely changed.

Polls show most Finns have 'made up their mind' on issue in wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine.

“Russia has seriously challenged the whole security order of Europe. It has to do with every one of us. Attacking civilian targets and civilian people is beyond our imagination. Finland was not just looking to Nato but welcomed the EU’s “strategic compass” plan to strengthen the bloc’s defences and security in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she added. Finns are shocked and appalled, and now it is time to take action,” she said. Significantly, support within Finland’s parliament is also strong. “There will be implications for sure if we decide to join Nato, but if we don’t join Nato it will have an impact as well, so we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t. Now the majority of Finns have already made up their mind,” she said.

Rattled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland's prime minister said Wednesday the Nordic nation would decide whether to apply for NATO membership "within ...

"I think it will happen quite fast. "For the Social Democrats in Sweden to change opinion (on NATO) is like changing religion," ex-PM Stubb told AFP. But after two decades of public support for membership remaining steady at 20-30 percent, the war caused a surge in those in favour to over 60 percent. The "deterrent effect" on Finland's defence would also be "considerably greater" inside the alliance, the report noted while adding it also carried obligations for Finland to assist other members. The report did not make recommendations but stressed, as did Marin in her speech, that without NATO membership Finland enjoys no security guarantees, despite being a partner to the alliance. But Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Finland would now decide quickly on whether to apply for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) has said that Finland will likely decide on joining Nato within weeks. "I won't give any kind of timetable [for] ...

Both Marin and Andersson emphasised that while Finland and Sweden have enhanced defence cooperation and recognise the need to maintain a dialogue, each country will decide whether to apply for Nato membership independently. On Wednesday, the Finnish government submitted a report to Parliament on how the foreign and security policy environment has changed in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But I think it will happen quite fast.