Every Country Has the Right to Take Its Own Security Measures: Will Finland Join NATO?

The Finnish Minister of European Affairs and Ownership Steering, Tytti Tuppurainen, considers it "very likely" that her country will join NATO. "The Finnish people seem to have already made a decision, and the overwhelming majority supports Finland’s membership in NATO... At this point, I would say it is very likely, but the decision has not yet been made," she said in an interview with British Sky News today.

She noted that the process of applying for NATO membership should be expedited during a democratic discussion in Parliament. The Minister added that Helsinki is aware of Russia's reaction concerning Finland's potential membership in NATO. "Every country has the right to take its own security measures. Therefore, we must be very, very careful not to limit our maneuvering space due to external factors. So, whatever Russia says, we certainly listen to it, but we make our own decisions based on our interests and our conditions, taking into account our overall situation," she emphasized.