On April 4, 2023, the completion of all legal procedures related to the registration of Finland’s membership in NATO was officially announced.
As we have repeatedly warned, the Russian Federation will be forced to take retaliatory measures, both of a military-technical and other nature, in order to stop threats to our national security arising from Finland’s accession to NATO. Concrete steps in defense construction on Russia’s northwestern borders will depend on the specific conditions for the country’s integration into the North Atlantic Alliance, including the deployment of NATO military infrastructure and strike weapons systems on its territory.
As a result of the more than doubling of the line of direct contact between NATO and the borders of the Russian Federation, the situation in the Northern European region – previously one of the most stable in the world – has radically changed. The North Atlantic Alliance has taken another step towards approaching the territory of Russia.
At one time, Finland’s line of military non-alignment became its conscious choice following the results of the Second World War. After the most devastating military conflict in the history of mankind, in which this country was an ally of nazi Germany, Finnish leaders showed wisdom by laying the basis of national policy pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation with neighbors based on the principle of non-entry into military alliances.
By joining NATO, Finland has finally abandoned its identity and any independence, which it has distinguished in international affairs for decades. Helsinki’s previous policy of military non-alignment has served Finnish national interests for a long time, and has been one of the important factors in ensuring trust in the Baltic Sea region and on the European continent as a whole. Now it is already in the past. Finland has become one of the small, undecided member countries of the alliance, having lost its special voice in international affairs.
We are convinced that this hasty step of Finland, taken by the authorities of this country without due consideration of public opinion by organizing a referendum and a thorough analysis of the consequences of membership in NATO, will be judged by history. Finland’s accession to NATO cannot but have a negative impact on Russian-Finnish bilateral relations.
