What would Finland’s accession to NATO mean to Russia? Political scientist describes the situation on the carefully guarded border – HNonline.sk

Putin probably did not expect any country to give up neutrality and join the Alliance. It may be all the more surprising when Finland decided to do so. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was supposed to prevent NATO enlargement, but now the opposite is likely to happen, says political scientist Hynek Melichar from the Department of Political Science and European Studies at Palacky University in Olomouc. According to him, the contribution of Finland lies in the fact that it has a modern and well-trained army and can mobilize several hundred thousand soldiers. Do you expect Sweden to make a similar decision after the announcement of Finland’s decision to join NATO? Both countries have stated that their accession to the Alliance is not interdependent and that they are two separate processes, although both countries have much in common. In Sweden, entry aid is lower than in Finland, due to a historically different tradition of neutrality. In any case, it is primarily a political decision that may or may not be affected by the Finnish move. Even in the light of history, Finland perceives the Russian threat much more immediately. What can Finland bring to the Alliance if we disregard that NATO would have a much longer common border with Russia after the new one? Finland has compulsory military service and numerous reserves. As a result, this relatively small country is able to mobilize several hundred thousand troops in the event of a war. In addition, the Finnish army is modern and well-trained. The military contribution is therefore unquestionable. Finland and Sweden, as the closest partners, have been cooperating with NATO for a long time, and since 1997 they have been participating in joint exercises or specific operations and programs. This article is for subscribers only.
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