It was during Sunday evening that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted that NATO membership is possible for Finland - but possibly not for Sweden.

The play has received a lot of attention, but in Finland the reactions are cool. 

- Erdogan's statement has been noted with a shrug.

It is clearly in NATO's interest that we are followed in the process, says Göran Djupsund, professor emeritus of political science at Åbo Akademi, to SVT. 

Erdogan's statement can be interpreted as a response to Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto's hint on January 24 that Finland can proceed with its NATO application without Sweden.

However, shortly after the statement, as well as at a press conference on Monday, Haavisto assured that the main track is still a joint entry. 

- What you have seen here in Finland is a political appeasement, you don't want to rush and create division between Finland and Sweden, says SVT's Finland correspondent Liselott Lindström. 

Difference in percentage of Kurds 

According to Göran Djupsund, Finland has a great understanding of Sweden's attitude towards Turkey and emphasizes that there is not really that big a difference between the politics of the two Nordic countries. 

- The difference is above all that Finland has a much smaller percentage of the population with connections to Turkey and Kurdistan, he says and adds: 

- The country is not exposed to Erdogan's aggressiveness in the same way as Sweden.

It is clear that Finland has several Kurdish voices that are critical, but we do not have the same discussion about the extradition of Turkish citizens. 

Part of Erdogan's election campaign 

Göran Djupsund, like several other observers, believes that Erdogan's statement is probably part of the election campaign before the Turkish presidential election in May. 

- If Erdogan wins, he has benefited from being tough on Sweden and Finland.

I would not be surprised if he wins the presidential election and then shows a different side to the countries, he says.

Hear SVT's Finland correspondent about Finland's reactions to the Natout game in the clip above.