Finnish government report states the country's ascension to NATO would provoke a crisis with Russia
According to a report released by the Finnish government, if the country joined NATO, it would provoke a crisis in relations with Russia, Evropeyskaya Pravda reported.
As noted by the Yle Finnish broadcasting company, a working group which assesses the implications of the possible accession of Finland to NATO submitted a report to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timo Soini.
According to the report, membership in NATO would most likely affect Finland's security, as it would help deter outside aggression. However, in the event of a conflict involving another member-state, Finland would be obligated to come to the defense of its allies.
The report noted that the greatest risk associated with membership in NATO would be the unpredictable reaction of Russia. According to the experts, Finland’s membership would lead to a serious crisis between Helsinki and Moscow.
In addition, the working group voiced concerns that Moscow would potentially attempt to politically mobilize the Russian-speaking population of Finland.
The experts concluded that it would be best for Finland to join NATO simultaneously with Sweden, if their Nordic neighbor also decides to join the Alliance.