In order to turn a strictly neutral Sweden and Finland into NATO countries, a number of major strategic mistakes had to be made.
It seems that at the end of the year the territory, GDP and the length of NATO's common border with Russia will increase by as much as it would have increased if Ukraine had gained the desired membership.
The brutality with which Vladimir Putin is trying to close security opportunities for Ukraine seems to have led to a sudden changes in thinking in Finland and Sweden, – writes The Guardian. However, the process is not over yet. Attitudes towards NATO membership are not yet stable. And, given the persistent protest against past participation in the alliance, Finns and Swedes may still return to their usual semi-neutrality. Russia's nuclear threats could make voters think again. The entry process can be difficult. There are many forms of NATO membership. Helsinki and Stockholm have not yet explored them.
But before the summit in Madrid in June, the alliance will be on track to increase its population by 16 million people, its GDP by 800 billion euros and its territory by 780,000 square kilometers. In turn, about 41 million people live in Ukraine. Its territory is 603.5 thousand square kilometers, and GDP – 155 billion euros. Following the accession of Sweden and Finland, Russia will have a new 1,300-kilometer common border with NATO. And this is exactly the opposite of what Putin insisted on in his demands to the alliance last year. What is even worse for Moscow is that NATO will now strengthen its position in the Baltic Sea right next to the Kaliningrad region, where the strategically important Russian navy is based.
Having launched an invasion of Ukraine, Putin thought he had launched a “missile strike” on the West. But it turned out to be a high-precision boomerang. The transformation of the two staunchly neutral countries into NATO members will add to the pantheon of the biggest strategic mistakes of this time, “the article reads.
Read also: Zakharova threatened Sweden and Finland with” consequences “for joining NATO
< p>The peculiarity of the moment is that the changes took place extremely quickly. Finland, which has been semi-neutral for the past 70 years, has changed its foreign policy at lightning speed. Finland's tolerance of Putin was so great that some leftists in the country almost cooperated with the Kremlin. The Finnish political elite has refused to contact the Russian opposition. Back in December, polls showed that only 24% of the country's population supported joining NATO.
Four months later, Finnish politics turned upside down. Support for NATO membership has risen to 68%. Polls also now show that more than half of Finland's 200 members of parliament support membership. During the 2015 parliamentary elections, 91% of SDP candidates were against NATO. But Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who is also a member of the political force, says times have changed.
Russia is not as good a neighbor as we thought, “she said.”
Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said his country's desire to join NATO was driven by rational fears that provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He is convinced that the financial application will be submitted to the alliance's headquarters by the end of May.
The reversal of Finland was so significant that the country became a model for its neighbor – Sweden. And this says a lot about mutual respect and sensitive relations between countries. From NATO's point of view, it would be ideal if Helsinki and Stockholm joined together. And polls show that this is quite possible. However, Finnish diplomats insist they will not interfere in Sweden's sovereign decisions. Marin emphasized this during a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Anderson in Stockholm. The Finnish Prime Minister explained that coordination with Swedish colleagues is necessary, but “this is not a prerequisite.”
“Finland does not dictate Sweden's charts or conclusions, just as Sweden does not dictate anything to Finland,” Marin said.
It is very important for the ruling Social Democratic Party in Stockholm that no one has any doubts about its leadership in the process of revising national policy. Finally, back in November, the party confirmed that it was against any alliances. But at the same time, the country's four center-right political forces now support NATO membership. And the two left-wing parties oppose it, saying membership will oblige the country to defend Turkey and Hungary.
Read also: Finland and Sweden will be able to join NATO quickly – Stoltenberg
The Guardian notes that too long the accession process of the two Scandinavian countries will be risky. Because Russia, using the full range of methods of hybrid warfare, will try to thwart it. On the same day that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Finnish parliament, Russia staged cyberattacks and violated the country's airspace. 5 in the north, may seem alarming. Putin may even decide that he was right when he spoke of the alliance's sinister policy aimed at encircling Russia. However, despite all the talk of “red lines” and the deployment of nuclear weapons, can Russia really open a second front in the north, when on the main south-western front it is so humiliatingly losing soldiers, reputation and wealth?
