Finland Chooses NATO

Finland has announced it is going to join NATO (and Sweden is expected to do the same soon.)

Before Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 only 20% of Finns supported NATO. As of May 1, 2022 76% of Finns support joining NATO.

Both countries have been traditionally Neutral: Finland from 1935-1939 (until the Winter War with the USSR) and then from 1956 – Present (including during all of the Cold War.) Sweden since 1814.

Sweden doesn’t border Russia, but Finland shares an 830 mile long Border with Russia.

Founded: NATO was created on April 4, 1949 and currently has 30 Member Countries (not including Finland or Sweden.)

NATO’s Member Countries are: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Former Communist: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic (as Czechoslovakia), Estonia (as the Soviet Union), Germany (as East Germany), Hungary, Latvia (as the Soviet Union), Lithuania (as the Soviet Union), Poland, Romania and Slovakia (as Czechoslovakia) were once part of the Warsaw Pact  - which from 1955 to 1991 was used to counter NATO.

Croatia (as Yugoslavia), Montenegro (as Yugoslavia), North Macedonia (as Yugoslavia) and Slovenia (as Yugoslavia) were not part of the Warsaw Pact, but were Communist and anti-NATO until 1991.

NATO Members’ Military Conscription: Denmark (all Men), Estonia (all Men), Turkey (all Men), Greece (all Men), Norway (all Men and Women) and Lithuania (all Men)

Prospective NATO Member’s Military Conscription: Finland (all Men) and Sweden (all Men and Women)

Borders: NATO Member Countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Poland) currently share a Border 781 miles with Russia.

Once Finland joins NATO will share a 1,611 mile Border with Russia.

NATO’s Article Five states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the Member States, it shall be considered an attack against all Members, and other Members shall assist the attacked Member. It has been invoked only once before (after the 9-11 Attacks on the US and is the main reason NATO went to War in Afghanistan.) 

Putin said he wanted to push NATO further away from Russia's Borders. Instead he has united NATO (and the World) more than ever before and has even gotten Neutral Countries to apply to join.