|NATO
Finland's former prime minister Alexander Stubb casts his vote during the parliamentary election in Espoo, Finland, April 19, 2015 [Mikko Stig/Lehtikuva/Reuters]
By Priyanka Shankar
Published On 28 Apr 202228 Apr 2022
This year’s spring could herald a new security order for Finland and Sweden, as the two countries prepare to submit their NATO membership bids.
In January, Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin reiterated her country’s traditional stance, that it had no plans of joining the security alliance. But in early April, she noted that “everything had changed” since Russia attacked Ukraine.
“Finland should be prepared for all kinds of actions from Russia,” she told reporters during a visit to Sweden, adding that Helsinki would decide on NATO membership “within weeks”.
While public support for Finland’s NATO membership used to hover between 20 and 30 percent, recent polls have shown that since the war in Ukraine began, about 70 percent of the Finnish public want their country to join NATO.
Al Jazeera spoke to Finland’s former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb to understand what led to this dramatic change.
Stubb, who has also served as Finland’s foreign and finance minister, is currently a professor and director at the School of Transnational Governance, based in the European University Institute in Florence.
Al Jazeera: How would you describe the national awakening in Finland towards joining NATO? What has changed?
Alexander Stubb: I think the decision on Finnish NATO membership was taken on February 24, at five o’clock in the morning, when [Russian President Vladimir] Putin attacked Ukraine. That’s when the public opinion basically took a 180 degree turn.
From 50 percent against and 20 percent in favour, to 50 percent in favour and 20 percent against. Currently, we are at 68 percent in favour and 12 percent against, and when our political leadership comes out with the application together with Sweden in mid-May, I predict that our figures will be over 80 percent in favour of NATO membership.
The basic line of thought is that if Putin can slaughter his brothers, sisters and cousins in Ukraine, he can do that in Finland and Sweden, as well.
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For the Finns, this brings back memories of the Second World War. So NATO membership would be a way of increasing our own security and the security of the Alliance.
Russia will threaten Finland after NATO application: ex-PM Stubb
Alexander Stubb, who has long backed NATO membership, speaks to Al Jazeera about the country’s decision to join the alliance amid the Ukraine war.
Finland's former prime minister Alexander Stubb casts his vote during the parliamentary election in Espoo, Finland, April 19, 2015 [Mikko Stig/Lehtikuva/Reuters]
By Priyanka Shankar
Published On 28 Apr 202228 Apr 2022
This year’s spring could herald a new security order for Finland and Sweden, as the two countries prepare to submit their NATO membership bids.
In January, Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin reiterated her country’s traditional stance, that it had no plans of joining the security alliance. But in early April, she noted that “everything had changed” since Russia attacked Ukraine.
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end of list“Finland should be prepared for all kinds of actions from Russia,” she told reporters during a visit to Sweden, adding that Helsinki would decide on NATO membership “within weeks”.
While public support for Finland’s NATO membership used to hover between 20 and 30 percent, recent polls have shown that since the war in Ukraine began, about 70 percent of the Finnish public want their country to join NATO.
Al Jazeera spoke to Finland’s former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb to understand what led to this dramatic change.
Stubb, who has also served as Finland’s foreign and finance minister, is currently a professor and director at the School of Transnational Governance, based in the European University Institute in Florence.
Al Jazeera: How would you describe the national awakening in Finland towards joining NATO? What has changed?
Alexander Stubb: I think the decision on Finnish NATO membership was taken on February 24, at five o’clock in the morning, when [Russian President Vladimir] Putin attacked Ukraine. That’s when the public opinion basically took a 180 degree turn.
From 50 percent against and 20 percent in favour, to 50 percent in favour and 20 percent against. Currently, we are at 68 percent in favour and 12 percent against, and when our political leadership comes out with the application together with Sweden in mid-May, I predict that our figures will be over 80 percent in favour of NATO membership.
The basic line of thought is that if Putin can slaughter his brothers, sisters and cousins in Ukraine, he can do that in Finland and Sweden, as well.
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For the Finns, this brings back memories of the Second World War. So NATO membership would be a way of increasing our own security and the security of the Alliance.
