Finland may make a formal decision to apply for NATO membership on May 12, the Iltalehti newspaper reported , citing sources,
KYIV. UkraineGate ,2 , May , 2022 | World News .
Details
“Finland will decide to apply for NATO membership on Thursday, May 12,” the newspaper said.
He notes that the information was provided by various sources in the field of foreign and security policy.
According to the newspaper, according to them, then the President of the Republic will say at a press conference this morning that he supports Finland’s accession to NATO. The President will announce his position on NATO before the meeting of parliamentary groups at 14:00, the newspaper notes.
The date was set for May 12, the day when various parliamentary committees decided to discuss a report on foreign and security policy, the newspaper said.
The purpose of the procedure, as stated, is that different parties can simultaneously agree to Finland’s application for NATO membership under the leadership of the President of the Republic.
Thus, Finland’s decision to apply for NATO membership will be made in two stages on Thursday, May 12, at the presidential and parliamentary levels.
According to the report, Prime Minister Sanna Marin agreed that a decision on NATO could be made on Thursday, May 12.
“At this time, all major government bodies, ie the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and most parliamentary parties, will state their position on NATO membership. The position is that Finland is applying for membership,” the newspaper said.
The decision will be confirmed by the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy TP-Utva, formed by the President of the Republic and key ministers.
After that, the decision of the state leadership to apply for NATO membership is submitted to parliament. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reportedly already written a text that will be approved by TP-Utva and submitted to parliament.
“The aim is to ensure that this application for NATO membership is no longer re-discussed in parliamentary committees and put to a vote, but is delivered to NATO at high speed,” the paper said.
The NATO Council is expected to convene immediately. 30 NATO ambassadors will decide in the NATO Council to invite Finland to membership talks, the publication adds.
Addition
Amid Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Finland and Sweden have reportedly decided to join NATO and plan to do so this summer.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Finland and Sweden are NATO’s closest partners and will be admitted to the Alliance “quickly” and openly.
If Sweden and Finland join NATO, Russia “will have to strengthen its defense in the region, in particular by deploying nuclear weapons,” said Russian Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.
Source: Ukrgate