Finland must apply to join the NATO military alliance "without delay," Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Thursday, paving the way for the alliance to expand in a major policy shift triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement by Niinisto and Marin means Finland is virtually certain to seek NATO membership though a few steps remain before the application process can begin. Neighboring Sweden is expected to decide on joining NATO in the coming days.
"Now that the moment of decision-making is near, we state our equal views, also for information to the parliamentary groups and parties," Niinisto and Marin said in a joint statement. "NATO membership would strengthen Finland's security."
"As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defense alliance," they said. "Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay. We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days."
Following Finland's announcement, the Kremlin said that Finland's move to join NATO was "definitely" a threat to Russia and that the expansion of the military bloc would not make Europe or the world more stable.
Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the steps taken by Finland to join NATO were a cause for regret and a reason to impose a symmetrical response.
Asked whether this presented a threat to Russia, Peskov said: "Definitely. NATO expansion does not make our continent more stable and secure."
He said Finland had joined "unfriendly steps" against Russia.
Asked what form Russia's response would take, he replied: "Everything will depend on how this (NATO) expansion process of NATO expansion plays out, the extent to which military infrastructure moves closer to our borders."
Moscow has repeatedly warned Finland and Sweden against joining NATO, threatening "serious military and political consequences."
'Smooth and swift'
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed a decision by Finland's leaders to favor joining the alliance, and said the eventual membership process would be "smooth and swift."
"This is a sovereign decision by Finland, which NATO fully respects. Should Finland decide to apply, they would be warmly welcomed into NATO," Stoltenberg said.
The view among Finns on NATO has changed rapidly after Russia initiated what it calls a "special operation" in Ukraine.
Finnish public support for joining NATO has risen to record numbers over recent months, with the latest poll by public broadcaster YLE showing 76% of Finns in favor and only 12% against, while support for membership used to linger at only around 25% for years prior to the war in Ukraine.
While military nonalignment has long satisfied many Finns as a way of staying out of conflicts, Russia's invasion of sovereign Ukraine has led an increasing number of Finns to view friendly relations with Russia as an empty phrase.
Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometer (810-mile) border and a difficult past with Russia, has gradually stepped up its cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a partner since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. But until Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Nordic country had refrained from joining in order to maintain friendly relations with its eastern neighbor.
Ukraine's fate has been particularly disturbing for Finland to watch as it fought two wars with Russia between 1939 and 1944, repelling an attempted invasion but losing around 10% of its territory in the subsequent peace agreement. Finland's rapid shift toward NATO is likely to pull along neighboring Sweden.
Sweden will take into account Finland's NATO assessments when deciding on whether it will send an application, the Swedish foreign minister announced Thursday.
"Finland is Sweden's closest security & defense partner, and we need to take Finland's assessments into account," Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Twitter.