Finnish president says NATO referendum no longer necessary

euractiv.com

9 pointsbelter3 comments

I'm curious what Finns perceive they have lost by their neutral stance toward Russia and NATO, and what they expect to gain from NATO membership that will offset the disadvantage of enmity with Russia. It's not clear from my U.S. vantage point.

> what they expect to gain from NATO membership that will offset the disadvantage of enmity with Russia

The difference between Belarus and Ukraine, on one hand, and Latvia, on the other, seems to be quite clear: an absence of Russian troops, tanks and missiles. NATO membership brings with it the combined U.S. and European nuclear umbrella.

More pointedly, avoiding enmity with Russia is of dubious value when it enforced its friendship at sword point.

Funny point is that Russia trusts more NATO-Norway than Finland or Sweden.

There is somekind of agreement that allows Norwegians to visit without passports or visa areas near the border.

This does not apply to other Nordics. My Swedish friend was prosecuted and fined by Norway because he kayaked to the River Jacobselv and touched the border buoy.

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