22:07 12 May 2022
Finland officially wants to join NATO
Finland should immediately apply to join the North Atlantic Alliance, says a joint statement by President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin. The appropriate steps on their country's part needed for this decision will be taken "quickly within the next few days," they announced.
In a joint statement, Niinistö and Marin wrote, among other things, that "this spring there was an important discussion about Finland's possible membership in NATO. Time was needed for Parliament and society as a whole to respond to this issue. Time was needed for close international contacts with NATO and its member countries, as well as with Sweden. We wanted to give the discussion the required space."
The leaders added that, as a NATO member, Finland would strengthen the entire defense alliance.
