Ewa Stenberg: The NATO debate in Finland is the opposite of that in Sweden
Sweden 0 Views
When Swedish politicians discuss an application to NATO, Finland’s path choice is central.
One reason can be seen on the map. It would be difficult for the Western military alliance to defend Finland if forces could not be brought in or fly into Swedish territory. If Sweden becomes a member instead and Finland stays outside, the country with a 134 km long land border with Russia will be sandwiched between NATO and its warring neighbor. Another reason is that Sweden and Finland have extensive military cooperation that would be more difficult if only one of the countries chose NATO. To understand the NATO issue, it is therefore wise to start with Finland.
A first stop may be become Suomenlinna, one of the largest sea fortresses in the world at the entrance to Helsinki. It was built at a time when Finland and Sweden were one country.
“Afternoon, stand here on your own and don’t trust foreign help”, it is written in 18th century Swedish on a marble plaque in Kungsporten.
The European security order, built since the Cold War, is shaking at its foundations
Finland will soon be deaf to that council and will begin to rely on help from other countries.
More and more Finns believe that the situation as a military non -aligned country has become too uncertain and that the country needs defense guarantees from NATO. The European security order, built since the Cold War, is shaking at its foundations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Last week, Pekka Haavisto received a good description of the change, when he received guests from Gulf countries at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki. They are – or are – mimicking the security structure of Europe.
– I had to tell them, “The thing is not in such good condition, do not look at it as a model now”, he described afterwards.
Jaakko Iloniemi is one of those with the best overview of it. He was the chief negotiator when the most important document of the European security order, the Helsinki Agreement, was signed in 1975. It was signed by 35 states, including the United States and the Soviet Union.
Currently, most Finnish parties are against NATO
Iloniemi, carrying honorary minister, patiently explaining the drama of recent months.
– We have had a debate about NATO membership since the 1990s. Sometimes it was pretty calm, it didn’t get busy. But hectic now.
He said it was really logical to have a debate on NATO membership after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
– But the change in this debate did not come until December last year. Russia then clarified what the country was trying to do. Now we stand here with 62 percent of Finns for NATO membership – we have never had one like this.
Jaakko Iloniemi was involved in writing the European security order, one that many warned that Russia was bombing with rubble. The grand old man of Finnish diplomacy now believes that Finland should try to reach an agreement on applying for NATO membership.
Photo: Kimmo Penttinen
They are currently most Finnish parties against NATO. But four of them for an internal debate that could end in changing their mind and promoting membership. This applies to Social Democrats, Center Party, Greens and True Finns.
Even the Left Alliance (the sister party to the Swedish Left Party) automatically denies NATO membership (even some individual members of parliament). Party leader Li Andersson stressed the need for as wide a parliamentary consensus as possible.
Major name collections were made for a NATO member, called citizens ’initiatives, which were discussed at Riksdag. The government produces a letter and the president and ministers travel to various NATO countries at a bewildering pace. The importance of reaching consensus continues to be emphasized.
He believes that Finland should seek membership in NATO – including Sweden
The Swedish vision in NATO is important here in Finland. When Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (S) said a few weeks ago that the situation would deteriorate if Sweden sent an application to NATO, it got a lot of attention.
– We were surprised. Many thought it might be an accident at work. And it’s more or less withdrawn, Jaakko Iloniemi says nicely.
He believes that Finland should seek membership in NATO – including Sweden. This will increase security throughout Scandinavia. But just at the time of the application, the two countries threatened to meet Russia’s harsh reaction.
– Hotels of all types. Everyone thinks. And hybrid warfare. But this is not a real war, says Jaakko Ilioniemi.
He warned Finland and Sweden to separate
Finland is investigating NATO membership in 2016 already. One of the four investigators was the experienced diplomat René Nyberg. He points out that Finland and Sweden are better prepared for NATO membership than ever before through their close military cooperation. And he warns against haste.
– If you think that the threat to our security is urgent, it is a trap. We have a process that can lead to membership. The great task for our governments is to master this process.
He warned Finland and Sweden to separate.
– It is not historical, unwise and absurd.
Mikko Majander is associate professor of political history and believes that Finland’s debate will end with a message that the country wants to apply for NATO membership.
– The question is not whether we should join but how to do it without increasing the risks. That’s the dilemma of state leadership, he described.
Majander emphasizes that NATO is not an ideological issue – it is a strategic issue.
In Sweden, on the other hand, NATO is an ideology and identity and can be an election issue
The Finns I spoke to say that broad consensus is essential for the willingness to defend Finland. Ultimately, it is also a matter of conscripts being forced to fight in and for other countries, such as Finland who can be defended by troops from other countries. On serious and long-term issues, it must be agreed.
In Sweden, on the other hand, NATO is an ideology and identity and may be something to choose from. Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has not been particularly careful in trying to unite the parliamentary majority and the government in one line of security policy. Opposition leader Ulf Kristersson (M) announced recently that he no longer believes the Social Democrats need support for an application for membership. Kristersson is ready to move forward with the support of the Sweden Democrats and three other bourgeois parties after the election, if they are willing to do so.
The Swedish NATO war worries fine veterans such as former Swedish Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt (M).
– You can be a socialist or not a socialist, left or right, but the security of Sweden should be a major interest, he said at the morning session of P3 on Monday and added:
– I hope you can justify your way to something where all the major parties are sympathetic.
This could create deeper contradictions in Sweden than the EU accession did
When Sweden left from his political independence in the alliance and sought to join the EU, had a broad majority in the Riksdag and also held a referendum.
Many politicians and parties are now reluctant to speak in favor of a referendum on NATO membership, the risk of Russia’s electoral influence being seen as overwhelming.
The military independence of the alliance could be left with only a margin of one or a few votes in the Riksdag, if the issue was decided by the electoral movement and the Social Democrats and the Moderates were on each side. This could create deeper contradictions in Sweden than the EU accession did.
President of Finland: High risk of proliferation in Europe