Cooperation between NATO and Finland on issues of common importance, such as security in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic, makes perfect sense, he added.
“The door to the Alliance remains open to countries that meet the membership criteria in Europe. The Alliance is fortunate to have like-minded friends and partners around the world. And Finland is one of the most important. When we work more closely together, NATO fully respects Finland’s strong independent security policy.
However, he also pointed out that Article 5 of the Defense League – Collective Defense – applies only to full members.
Niinistö said that Finland is happy with the policy of the new members. “Finland’s position,” he added, “has been, as we all know, that we do not close the door ourselves, our doors.”
He also drew attention to the security aspects arising from the development of robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as the importance of an open dialogue between NATO, Russia and China.
“We now desperately need at least average confidence, [about] how to deal with such new elements. They certainly threaten us all and everyone has an advantage [in] try to get at least mid-level contracts and mid-level trust. “
“We should intensify and try to build conditions in which dialogue with, for example, Russia and China, with NATO, would be more open.”
The North Atlantic Council, NATO’s most important political decision-making body, will pay a historic visit to Finland on Monday and Tuesday.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page