Finland is preparing to apply for NATO membership, Russia issues warning

Finland is preparing to apply for NATO membership as Russia issues a strong warning.

FINLAND is preparing to apply for NATO membership, with Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government set to clarify the country’s next steps in the coming weeks, however, Russia has issued a strong warning against the country.

Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters on Thursday, April 7 that the membership application is being prepared with an additional report from the Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (TP-Utva). The minister was speaking after attending NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.

According to Finnish news outlet Iltalehti, TP-Utva will hold a meeting chaired by President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Marin, at which Niinistö and Marin can apply for NATO membership.

The president and the Foreign and Security Policy Committee (TP-Utva) will decide to apply for NATO membership during the first two weeks of May – possibly earlier, according to the newspaper’s sources.

According to the news agency Reuters, Haavisto confirmed that NATO member countries have promised to support Finland during a possible application process.

However, Vladimir Dzhabarov from Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, warned the country that joining NATO would end in tragedy.

Dzhabarov suggested that NATO membership for Finland would mean “it would become a target.”

“I think it [would be] a terrible tragedy for the entire Finnish people,” said Dzhabarov, as reported by Newsweek.

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