Finland in NATO would “dramatically” change the security situation in the Baltic region, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Thursday, after Finnish leaders formally supported the country’s membership in the alliance.
“That changes the security situation in the Baltic region dramatically,” Landsbergis told reporters. “It is a huge strengthening of the Alliance and a huge strengthening of the Baltic region.”
“Finland is a very strong country militarily, an experienced country with a navy, with air defence elements,” he said. “Its recent acquisitions of F-35s from the US are a huge reinforcement for the Alliance.”
Earlier on Thursday, President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in a joint statement that “NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security”.
“As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defense alliance. 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.”
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said it was a “historic day”.
“I very much welcome the Finnish leaders’ position on joining NATO,” she told BNS in a comment. “Finland’s joining would significantly strengthen both the Alliance and the security of the Baltic states. So today I welcome this historic, wonderful day and look forward to Sweden’s decision.”
According to Lithuanian conservative MP Laurynas Kasčūnas, chairman of the National Security and Defence Committee, NATO with Finland in it will be better equipped to defend the Baltic states.
“No doubt, this is also very strategically important for Lithuania, because we will become more defensible, we will strengthen our regional security and we will have more strategic depth,” the MP told BNS.
“There are only advantages as far as our security is concerned,” he added.
According to Kasčiūnas, Finland’s decision is the “best answer” to Russia’s efforts to block NATO’s expansion in the region.
He said Lithuania would help Finland to ensure the smoothest possible ratification process for NATO membership.
Finland’s political and public opinion has swung dramatically in favour of NATO membership after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Neighboring Sweden is also considering joining the Alliance.
“I believe that Finland’s decision will be a big push for the Swedes to make a positive decision as well,” Kasčiūnas said.
Sweden’s ruling party is expected to announce its position on NATO membership on Sunday.
Russian threats ‘should be taken seriously’
Asked if additional NATO forces will have to be deployed to Finland after it becomes a member, Foreign Minister Landsbergis said that this would be decided at a later stage.
If it joins NATO, Finland will be the alliance’s longest border with Russia.
“NATO is getting stronger in our region. The question of whether additional forces are needed is apparently the only aspect that needs to be answered, because Finland has an extremely long border with Russia; it is now the longest border we have,” the minister said.
“It is difficult for me to say if additional forces are needed for this. We will probably hear about that later,” he added.
Landsbergis said that the ratification of Finland’s NATO membership by the Lithuanian parliament will not take “a single minute longer” than the parliamentary procedures require, adding that he expects the same from other NATO capitals.
Asked about Russia’s possible reaction to Finland’s decision to join NATO, the minister said that any threats from the “aggressive and dangerous country” will have to be taken seriously, even if Moscow would not have enough forces to open a new front while the war in Ukraine continues.
“We have seen some movement of defence capabilities in the northern region, apparently in preparation for Finland’s possible decisions,” Landsbergis said.
“I have always stressed that Russia is an aggressive and dangerous neighbour [...], so all threats [...] should be taken seriously,” Lithuania’s top diplomat said.
“Even if analytically we do not take them [the threats] very seriously, because this is a state that is losing the war in Ukraine and its capacity to fight new wars elsewhere is very limited, they should be taken seriously, because an aggressive state can sometimes take actions without even counting its own resources, without assessing its real chances of winning,” he added.
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