CNBC:Finland will apply to join NATO, president says, in a historic move for the neutral country

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• Finland will apply for membership of NATO, the country’s president said Sunday.
• It’s a historic move for the Nordic country, which has had a decades-long policy of military neutrality until now.
• Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia; if it joins the military alliance, the land border that Russia shares with NATO territories would roughly double.

Finland will apply for membership of NATO, the country’s president said Sunday, in a historic move for the Nordic country, which has had a decades-long policy of military neutrality.

© Provided by CNBC Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

In a press conference alongside Prime Minister Sanna Marin, President Sauli Niinisto said: “Today, we, the president and the government’s foreign policy committee, have together decided that Finland … will apply for NATO membership.”

He added that being a member of the military alliance will “maximize” Finland’s security after Russia’s unprecedented invasion of Ukraine in February.

Marin described that move to apply as an “important decision” based on a “strong mandate.”

“We hope that the parliament will confirm the decision to apply for NATO membership during the coming days,” she added. The formal application is expected to be submitted next week.

Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia; if it joins the military alliance, the land border that Russia shares with NATO territories would roughly double.

As such, there is a risk the move from Helsinki could spark aggression from Russia, where President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly expressed his opposition to NATO’s enlargement.

President Niinisto said he had spoken to Putin Saturday and informed his of Finland’s decision.

Last week, Russia’s foreign ministry said Finland joining NATO would be a “radical change” in the country’s foreign policy. “Russia will be forced to take retaliatory steps, both of a military-technical and other nature, in order to stop threats to its national security arising,” it said in a statement.

Marin said Finland has been in close contact with NATO and its members over the decision. Last week, Marin and Niinisto said the country should apply to join NATO “without delay.”

One potential stumbling block on the horizon is Turkey, the NATO member with the second-largest military in the 30-member alliance after the U.S. Ascension for a new member state to the military alliance requires consensus approval from all existing members.

The country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday: “We don’t hold positive views” on Finland and Sweden’s potential membership.

Sweden is expected to follow Finland and also apply to join NATO.Finland will apply to join NATO, president says, in a historic move for the neutral country (msn.com)