Finn, Sweden mulls joining NATO
The threat of Russian invasion of Ukraine has reignited debate in Finland and Sweden over whether or not they should join NATO to fend off any possible eastern aggression.
Fighter jets could be heard carrying out drills above the Finnish capital this week, while Sweden recently deployed troops to a Baltic outpost in response to rising tensions.
President Vladimir Putin's demands that NATO do not expand eastwards has led Finnish and Swedish leaders to reassert their right to apply for membership if they wish.
It's for Finland and 30 NATO allies to decide on the issue of membership, and that's exactly the same for Sweden, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday after meeting the countries' foreign ministers.
Neither Finland nor Sweden have expressed an official desire to become full members, preferring information sharing and some joint training.
Charly Salonius-Pasternak, a spokesman for the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, said Finland and Sweden had made a conscious effort. In order to make clear statements that NATO's open-door policy is still open, Elina Valtonen, the vice-chair of Finland's opposition National Coalition Party, said joining was a natural step. Valtonen said that they had been forming ever-closer cooperation agreements with NATO, but also the United Kingdom and the United States.
She added that Finland had abandoned its Cold War stance of trying to appease the Kremlin by remaining neutral.
Without membership, Finland is ineligible for protections under NATO's Article 5, which commits other members to come to its aid if Russia sends troops over the 1,340 kilometre long 830 mile-long border.
Support for NATO membership has traditionally been low among Finns and Swedes, though a January survey in Finland showed that opposition to joining had fallen to a two-decade low of 42 percent.
Robert Dalsjo, a Swedish Defence Research Agency, said that for many in Sweden's largest political party, the Social Democrats, NATO membership was akin to blasphemy A re-evaluation could only be triggered by a Finnish opening for membership or a threat so credible that the political calculus changes, he said.
Few Russia-watchers think Putin has plans to send tanks into Finland.
But, according to the Finnish analyst Salonius-Pasternak, we have seen and continue to see. Russia released 1,700 migrants across the Finnish border in 2016 and repeated airspace incursions, such as sub-threshold actions.
Finland has maintained high levels of military readiness for years, despite memories of the Soviets' bloody invasion attempt during World War II.
Finland's former foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja, one of the country's most prominent opponents of NATO membership, said the country was well prepared if needed.
He said that we are not blue-eyed and therefore we have heavily invested in our national defence.
Finland has spent 8.4 billion euro 9.5 billion on new fighter jets, and can mobilise a reserve of 280,000 trained soldiers, which no other country in Europe can do, Tuomioja said.
Sweden slashed military spending after the Cold War.
In 2013, commander-in-chief Sverker Goranson shocked Swedes by saying that the country could only hold off a Russian invasion for about a week without outside help.
Sweden strengthened its defences after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
The barometer indicated a storm was coming, and we were caught dressed for beautiful weather, said Dalsjo, Swedish analyst.
We've solved this problem by borrowing umbrellas, boots and warm sweaters from the Americans, but Sweden still doesn't have the resources to defend itself.
The country, which hasn't been to war in two centuries, introduced mandatory military service in 2017.
Sweden sent armed patrols to the island of Gotland this month after three Russian landing ships entered the Baltic Sea.
Finland has increased preparedness with military exercises across the country.
Salonius-Pasternak said Helsinki was quietly preparing behind the scenes.
He said that stuff is being done, but he said that one might not see it.