Turkey Approves Finland’s NATO Bid

Yesterday, the Turkish parliament ratified Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Finland, along with Sweden, applied to join the alliance in June. But to gain entry, the legislature of each nato member has to approve the entry. Turkey and Hungary dragged their feet for months, but the Hungarian parliament approved Finland’s application on Monday. Turkey’s vote on Thursday was the last hurdle Finland needed to cross. Sweden’s membership will still take some time, since Turkey has problems with Swedish support for Kurdish groups. But it looks like Finland will become the newest member of nato this year.

https://twitter.com/FinMissionNATO/status/1641659508043796481

Why now for nato? Both Finland and Sweden have resisted joining nato for decades. But last year, Russia invaded Ukraine. Both Finland and Sweden are a boat ride away from Russian territory, and both are wondering where Russian President Vladimir Putin will set his sights next. So they are desperate to integrate themselves into nato as a security guarantee.

What Finland brings to the table: Finland’s border with Russia is roughly 800 miles long. Once it joins nato, it will comprise the alliance’s longest border with Russia. Counting reservists, Finland also has a military with just under a million personnel. It would be a massive boost to nato’s forces in the Baltic Sea region.

It would also be a huge provocation to Moscow. Since the end of World War ii, Finland has stayed neutral for the very reason of not agitating the Kremlin. With nato’s borders closer than ever, Putin probably won’t pretend to ignore Finland’s latest move. He could stage military exercises near the border, initiate a cyberattack, or try something else.

Will this escalate the war? Since last February, many analysts have wondered if Ukraine will be what starts a nuclear World War iii between nato and Russia. Although the world is closer to nuclear war than it has been for decades, the Trumpet believes the Ukraine crisis will not morph into a third world war. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains why in our latest issue: “The Ukraine War Will Not Start World War III!”