Moscow [Russia]April 23 (ANI / Sputnik): Finland should not postpone the application for NATO membership as it may be more difficult to join in the future, said Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on Saturday.
“What worse would have to happen for Finland to at least consider NATO,” Haavisto told Finnish television company Yle, adding that it was time for Helsinki to apply for NATO membership.
Haavisto said the conflict in Ukraine forced Helsinki to re-evaluate its security policy. The Minister also said that it would be good for Finland and Sweden to “synchronize” their positions on NATO membership.
The debate on NATO membership was held in the Finnish Parliament earlier this week. According to Yle’s analysis, 114 legislators out of 200 expressed their support for Helsinki joining NATO, and more MPs are expected to join the initiative.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after recognizing the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as “independent republics”. In response, the EU launched a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures against many Russian officials and entities, the media and financial institutions. (ANI / Sputnik)
Source: sn.dk