Finland in Northern Europe has officially announced that it will apply for membership in NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Neighboring Sweden is also considering applying for membership and is expected to reach a conclusion soon.


Finland, which has not joined NATO and has maintained its military neutrality, and Sweden, which has maintained a military non-alignment.

Why are you moving toward NATO membership now?

Finland and neighboring Sweden bordering Russia

Finland, which borders Russia for about 1,300 kilometers, has not joined NATO and has taken a military-neutral position.

Although he had a military invasion from the Soviet Union in World War II, he avoided stimulating Russia.



However, following the military invasion of Ukraine by Russia, public opinion that NATO needs the right of collective self-defense has rapidly increased.



Sweden has also not participated in the war and has maintained a "military nonalignment" for 200 years.

Finland NATO membership application officially announced

Following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, Finland officially announced on the 15th that President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Marin would meet in the capital Helsinki to apply for NATO membership.

Regarding the reason, Prime Minister Marin said, "We are now witnessing Russia, which is completely different from what it was a few months ago." No. This is an action to prevent a war in Russia. There should be no war like it has happened in the past for us and our children. "



However, Turkey, which is a member country, expressed a negative view on the movement of Finland and Sweden to join.

President Niinistö said, "I'm honestly confused. When I had a telephone conversation with President Erdogan about a month ago, I was told that I was in favor and thanked him. I'm ready, "he said, expressing his desire to consult with President Erdogan.



In Finland, the parliament has been deliberating on the application for membership from the 16th, and if the majority is in favor, it is expected to apply by the end of this week.



Regarding the application for NATO membership, neighboring Sweden is expected to reach a conclusion soon, and Prime Minister Marin emphasized the idea of ​​applying together.

Formally decided after deliberation by the Swedish Parliament

Following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, the ruling Social Democratic Labor Party of Northern Europe Sweden decided on the 15th to change its policy and support the application for accession to NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization.



After this, Prime Minister Andersson held a press conference, saying, "We believe that it is best for Sweden's security to join NATO." He showed the prospect of deciding the policy.

NATO support

NATO held a foreign ministers' meeting in Berlin, the capital of Germany, for two days until the 15th to discuss the movements for Finland and Sweden to apply for membership.

NATO Secretary-General Stortemberg, who met after the meeting, said, "If both countries apply for membership, it will be a historic moment for Europe. It will strengthen both countries and NATO and contribute to the stability of the entire region." If there is, he expressed his intention to carry out the membership procedure as soon as possible.

Show "conditions" for accepting Turkey membership

Turkey's Foreign Minister Chaushor criticized the members of the Kurdish armed groups designated as terrorist organizations in Sweden and Finland at a post-meeting meeting on the 15th. We must stop supporting ourselves. This is a condition for forming an alliance. "



"Both countries must lift restrictions on exports to Turkey in the defense sector," Foreign Minister Chaushor said.



Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Chaushor said Turkey would continue discussions, saying it did not oppose NATO enlargement.



For this reason, NATO Secretary-General Stortemberg said that he would continue discussions with Turkey, saying, "Turkey has stated that it has no intention of blocking accession. I am confident that we can do so, "he said, recognizing that it is possible to obtain the consent of all 30 countries required for accession.



Secretary-General Stoltemberg also said that Russia is paying close attention to Russia's movements around the border, given that Russia is restraining Finland's movement toward NATO accession.

Russia is strongly restrained

Russia is very cautious about these moves.

If Finland and Sweden join NATO, there will be no "buffer zone" and they will border NATO.



Putin said in a telephone conversation with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on the 14th, "It is a mistake to abandon the traditional policy of military neutrality. Changes in Finland's diplomatic policy have a negative impact on long-standing reciprocal relations between the two countries. There is a possibility that it will cause a problem. "

Held CSTO Summit

Furthermore, on the 16th, Russia plans to hold a summit meeting of the CSTO = Collective Security Treaty Organization of the military alliance in the capital Moscow, and the composition of the conflict between the NATO side and the Russian side is becoming clearer.

What is CSTO = Collective Security Treaty Organization?

The CSTO is a Russian-led military alliance consisting of six former Soviet countries, including Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in Central Asia.

Thirty years ago, in May 1992, the countries concerned signed the Collective Security Treaty in response to the rapid changes in the security environment caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the organization was established in 2002.



According to the treaty, if a member country is invaded, it is considered to be for the entire member country and military assistance will be provided at the request of that country.



In January, when a large-scale protest against the government took place in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, triggered by a fuel price hike, more than 2,000 CSTO troops were dispatched at the request of President Tokaev.



"This activity is extremely timely and quite legal," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a CSTO summit meeting during the troops' deployment in the field. Emphasized the role.



"The response through the CSTO clearly shows that it does not allow the realization of the so-called color revolution scenario," he said, in order to prevent interference from the West with the former Soviet countries that Russia considers to be a sphere of influence. He showed the idea of ​​putting more emphasis on the framework.



This time, the CSTO summit will be held as Russia is subject to sanctions from Europe and the United States following the military invasion of Ukraine, deepening its isolation from the international community, and NATO strengthening military support for Ukraine.



President Putin seems to have the aim of restraining the Western side by asking member countries to understand the military operations in Ukraine and appealing their unity through the CSTO summit meeting.

List of NATO member countries

Iceland, USA, Italy, UK, Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, Norway, France, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania , Romania, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia