Sweden, Finland Nix Russian Threat, Move Closer To NATO Membership

Sweden wants to submit a possible NATO application at the same time as Finland, according to information to the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti, and it can take place in mid-May at the earliest, GlobalSecurity.org reported.

Photo Insert: Riksdag (Parliament of Sweden) in Stockholm

Sources in Sweden and Finland said there is coordination between the countries regarding a possible application and the Finnish broadcaster Yle reported that the Swedish government has made such a request for NATO membership to Finland.

The decision could come during week 20, which begins on May 16, wrote Iltalehti. In that case, it would coincide with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö's state visit to Sweden.

The Social Democrats have previously announced that the party will make a statement on the NATO issue no later than May 24. If the party should agree to join the alliance, an expression of interest can be sent in, as the Moderates, Christian Democrats, Liberals, and Center Party are already advocating entry.

A new security policy analysis was being prepared, to be presented no later than May 13.

Finland and Sweden have shrugged off Russian threats to station nuclear weapons near Finland and Sweden while Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania have said Russia had deployed such weapons in the region for more than 50 years.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused a sea change in public opinion in both Sweden and Finland, with the majority of the citizens of the two Nordic countries favoring NATO membership.

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