The government of Finland has announced that it’s planning to apply for NATO membership in a move that’s likely to irk Moscow amid the months-long conflict in Ukraine.
Ahead of the planned announcement, Russian officials made threats against the Scandinavian country, which shares a lengthy border with Russia and has long held a position of neutrality. During the Cold War, both Finland and neighboring Sweden kept out of NATO, but the governments of both countries have said they’ve reconsidered their stance on the military alliance amid the Russia–Ukraine war.
“We hope that the Parliament will confirm the decision to apply for NATO membership during the coming days,” Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said during a May 15 press conference in Helsinki, Finland. “It will be based on a strong mandate with the President of the Republic. We have been in close contact with governments of NATO member states and NATO itself.”
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