Russia warns Finland NATO membership would ‘negatively impact’ relations

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his Finnish counterpart Saturday that relations between the 2 neighbours might be “negatively affected” if Finland follows by with plans to use for NATO membership.

The Kremlin’s press service stated in a press release that Putin instructed Sauli Niinisto Finland’s abandonment “of its traditional policy of military neutrality would be an error since there are no threats to Finland’s security.”

“Such a change in the country’s foreign policy could negatively affect Russian-Finnish relations, which had been built in the spirit of good neighborliness and partnership for many years, and were mutually beneficial,” the assertion added.

The response got here after Niinisto instructed Putin in a cellphone dialog that the militarily non-aligned Nordic nation, which has a fancy historical past with its enormous japanese neighbor, “will decide to apply for NATO membership in the coming days.”

Niinisto’s workplace stated in a press release that the Finnish head of state instructed Putin how starkly Finland’s safety atmosphere had modified after Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, and pointed to Russia’s calls for for Finland to chorus from looking for membership of the 30-nation Western army alliance.

“The discussion (with Putin) was straightforward and unambiguous and was held without exaggeration. Avoiding tensions was considered important,” stated Niinisto, Finland’s president since 2012 and one among a handful of Western leaders who has been in common dialogue with Putin over the previous decade.

Niinisto identified that he had already instructed Putin at their first assembly in 2012 that “each independent nation would maximize its own security.”

“That is still the case. By joining NATO, Finland will strengthen its own security and assume its responsibilities,” Niinisto stated.

Niinisto burdened that Finland, regardless of its doubtless future membership in NATO, needs to proceed to take care of Russia bilaterally in “practical issues generated by the border neighborhood” and hopes to interact with Moscow “in a professional manner.”

According to the Kremlin assertion, the 2 leaders additionally mentioned Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine, and the potential of attaining a political resolution. Putin stated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv had been suspended as a result of Ukraine’s “lack of curiosity in a critical and constructive dialogue.”

The phone call was conducted on Finland’s initiative, Niinisto’s office said.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia, the longest by any European Union member.

Niinisto and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Thursday jointly endorsed their country’s NATO bid and recommended that Finland “must apply for NATO membership without delay” to guarantee its security.

A formal announcement from Niinisto and Marin of Finland’s intention to apply for NATO membership is expected on Sunday. Marin’s governing Social Democratic Party approved the membership bid on Saturday, paving way for a parliamentary vote next week to endorse the move. It’s expected to pass with overwhelming support. A formal membership application would then be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Neighboring Sweden is set to decide on its NATO stance on Sunday at a meeting of the governing Social Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

One possible hurdle to Finland and Sweden joining the alliance came from NATO member Turkey, whose president said Friday he was “not favorable” to the idea.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan cited support in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries for Kurdish militants — whom Turkey considers to be terrorists.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Saturday that he had already called his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, “to take the tensions down.”

“I’m sure that we will find a solution to this item as well,” he told reporters at the start of an informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Berlin late Saturday.

U.S. President Joe Biden held a joint call Friday with both Niinisto and Andersson where, according to a White House statement, he “underscored his support for NATO’s Open Door policy and for the right of Finland and Sweden to decide their own future, foreign policy and security arrangements.”

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