BBC Newsnight: ‘No risk free option’ Finland MP warning over Russia’s NATO threat

Speaking on BBC Newsnight, Elina Valtonen MP from Finland’s National Coalition Party said Finland needs to think about the “long term” in regards to joining NATO. On Saturday, Russia repeated its threat of retaliation if Sweden and Finland ever decide to join NATO, warning of “serious military and political consequences”.

Sergei Belyayev, head of the Russian foreign ministry’s European department, told the Russian news agency Interfax: “It is obvious that [if] Finland and Sweden join NATO, which is a military organisation to begin with, there will be serious military and political consequences.

“[It] would require changing the whole palette of relations with these countries and require retaliatory measures.”

Speaking about the issue, Ms Valtonen told BBC Newsnight: “Of course, people have concerns and it’s very natural that people do think about the risks of taking, perhaps a new step.

“But I tend to say that, in this case, there is no risk-free option.

“We just need to carefully ponder what’s the best decision for Finland, taking the long term into account.

“We are not talking about the next week or next month, but the long term and Finland is a Western country.”

When asked about what NATO’s direct response would be, Ms Valtonen emphasised her country has always taken defence very seriously.

She said: “The President, government officials and also myself as an MP, have been meeting with people from different NATO countries, and everyone has been committed to the policy of open doors.

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“I would like to emphasise also that Finland is a security provider and when it comes to defence as we have a very strong defence force and we have always taken security very seriously.”

Finland’s president said this month that the country would review the “alternatives and risks” related to membership, and Finland’s prime minister, who previously ruled out pursuing membership, has said discussions on joining should take place with the goal of building a national consensus.

Nevertheless, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently said that it should be possible for Sweden and Finland to join “rather quickly” given their “high level of interoperability” with NATO.

In Sweden, the opposition in parliament has called for a debate over NATO membership, but Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has said applying to join would “further destabilise this area of Europe and increase tensions.”

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Last week, Ms Andersson emphasised that joining NATO would destabilise an already fragile security situation.

However, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist and Foreign Minister Ann Linde have made the government’s position clear, saying Sweden should not join NATO.

source: express.co.uk