Posted on 01/01/2022 11:27:04 AM PST by RomanSoldier19
Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö on Saturday reiterated his country’s right to join Nato if it wants to, in a dismissal of Russian demands for no further expansion of the Western military alliance near its borders.
“Finland’s room to manoeuvre and freedom of choice also include the possibility of military alignment and of applying for Nato membership, should we ourselves so decide,” President Niinistö said in his New Year address.
Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin sought guarantees that Finland would not join Nato. In a statement released by the Kremlin, President Putin said Russian wants “international legal security guarantees” ruling out “Nato’s further movement eastward”.
Opinion polls suggest that 40 per cent of Finns oppose joining Nato, with 26 per cent in favour.
On Thursday US President Joe Biden spoke to Mr Putin for the second time in a month over tensions with Nato, again threatening a tough response including unprecedented sanctions should Russia invade Ukraine.
"I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves into Ukraine we will have severe sanctions," Mr Biden said Friday. "We will increase our presence in Europe with Nato allies."
Russia has deployed 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, using the prospect of an invasion to pressure Nato to give guarantees it will not expand.
President Niinistö said Russia ultimatums “are in conflict with the European security order” and demanded that European states must not be excluded from negotiations between Russia, the United States and Nato.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Interesting, what’s in a Finish NATO membership for us? Just askin’.
My first thought as well?
Might be better to kick Germany out, since they refuse to pay their “fair share”, and add the Finns.
It’s interesting how Russia really wants to ‘correct’ what happened to it after World War I. Hitler/Stalin agreed to give back to the USSR the part of Poland it lost at Versailles. Even more amazing, they pretty much got to keep that part they stole after WWII. Poland’s borders were shifted to the west at Germany’s expense.
Finland got its independence after WWI fought two wars against the USSR during WWII and the USSR demanded that Finland remain neutral if it wanted to retain its independence, and this after ceding both territory and a naval base to the USSR.
And of course there is the Crimea which had been Russian for a long time but then ‘gifted’ to Ukraine back when the USSR was going to last forever.
WWI just keeps biting us in the rear...
Since Russia now owns Germany through its control of Germany’s energy Germany should be kicked out of NATO. What it the point of belonging to a group whose focus is to defend against Russia when Russia already owns them?
I hate to say this but what are we getting from Germany? They don’t pull their weight in NATO, Poland as a poorer nation pulls way more military wise than Germany, they go after our personnel via a loop hole to get taxes from them, so again what are we getting from Germany?
Finland orders 64 Lockheed F-35 fighter jets for $9.4 bln
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lockheed-f-35-jet-wins-finnish-fighter-competition-source-2021-12-10/
Duty free surstròmming?
Finland is in a great position to assist in conflict with Russia if that is something NATO still seeks. At the same time the Finns should learn from the West’s recent inaction on Georgia and Ukraine, as well as the inaction of the West during the Winter War long ago; there is no indication anyone would have the will to lift a finger to defend them.
The USSR kept enough Finnish territory after WWII to ensure Finland would be difficult to defend if the Soviets attacked.
Make the deal with Russia, give Vyborg and all lands seized by the Soviet Union in WWII back to Finland, in exchange for not joining NATO.
It’s like a new subscriber joining your service — provided they pay required subscription charges, which they weren’t until Trump came along.
You got Finns to the Left, Finns to the Right and you’re the only girl in town.
Is say wait until America is back.
Finland just agreed to buy a bunch of F-35s from us. And if the Russians are smart they’ll remember the Winter War.
L
Why do we keep pushing to Russia’s border.
Let’s make a deal. Finland can join NATO if they take our place.
Two good points. That said, imho, its gonna take more than aircraft to deter Vlad.
Good idea.
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