*Finland will almost certainly apply for membership in NATO, Sweden’sForeign Minister Ann Linde told Swedish television on Sunday.*
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced both Sweden and its easternneighbour Finland to review beliefs that military neutrality is the bestmeans of ensuring national security.
“We know more or less that they (Finland) will apply for NATO membership.And that changes the whole balance… If one of our countries join, we knowthat tensions would increase,” Linde told public broadcaster SVT.
Asked whether she thinks Finland will join NATO, Linde said: “I think youcan say that quite surely.”
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Both Sweden and Finland are expected to make a decision on whether to jointhe military alliance in the coming weeks.
Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Friday that he hopedFinland and Sweden would make similar decisions at the same time.
