NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says door remains open for Finland to join military alliance

During his two-day visit to Finland, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the door remains open for the country to join a military alliance. Furthermore, Stoltenberg referred to Finland as a 'close partner', praising the country's 'sturdy defence', citing interoperability and major exercises as examples. "Finland is one of NATO's closest allies, and we are grateful that we have been able to enhance our relationship in recent years. I anticipate that this cooperation will be one of the top priorities in the strategy," stated Stoltenberg reported news agency Sputnik citing Finnish national broadcaster Yle. 

Stoltenberg also said that it is all about NATO's presence in the Baltic Sea and the Baltic states and the role of Finland and Sweden is very important. However, he also pointed out that there is a difference between being a member and not being a member. Finland's President, Sauli Niinistö, had previously suggested that joining NATO is a possibility, and that relations between the Nordic country and NATO have "continued to strengthen in recent years." "We have a lot of mutual understandings about how we can ensure peace, which is the most essential thing in people's lives," he added as reported by Sputnik.

NATO's officials visit Finland for the first time

Members of the North Atlantic Council, NATO's main political decision-making body, visited Finland for the first time in an official capacity. Finland shares a border with Russia, and this visit took place at a time when NATO-Russia relations are at their rock bottom ever since the Cold War ended. It should be mentioned here that NATO dismissed eight members of Russia's mission to the alliance earlier this month, labelling them 'undeclared intelligence officers'. Russia responded by announcing the closure of its NATO mission in Brussels and the withdrawal of diplomatic accreditation from NATO's Moscow headquarters. 

The Finnish Foreign Policy Institute remarked that defence cooperation has become a significant driver of Finnish foreign policy. The body highlighted that Finland is becoming increasingly integrated into the Western security system, and the withering of Finnish military non-alignment has further intensified. Meanwhile, a recent poll conducted by market research firm Taloustutkimus revealed increased hostility against Russia. According to the poll, Russia was viewed positively by almost a third of Finnish respondents, while 45% held a negative opinion of the country, reported Sputnik. 

Image: Twitter/@Arctic portal/AP