Finland joins NATO: Military alliance's 'capability in northern Europe' and Baltics 'will improve'

Sophie Enos-Attali, Lecturer in Political Science at the Paris Catholic Institute, speaks to FRANCE 24’s François Picard, after Finland formally became a member of NATO. She offers context on what to make of Russia's latest threats and its brutal year-long invasion of Ukraine. She also puts into perspective France's announcement to increase its defence budget to the highest levels since the 1960s?
#Finland #NATO #Russia
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[@dainispozins4172]

Very good news! Defenders of the Free World in the Northern Europe. Welcome Finland, side by side we stand! Greetings from Latvia!

[@abdiawale5304]

So America and Western Europe are free worlds while the rest of the world are slaves and medieval people ?

[@STHFGDBY]

Congratulations Finland, we welcome you soooo much.

[@qili3899]

Russia never dared to invade any NATO countrry.

[@bermyboyryan5056]

@@qili3899 Because their weak army don’t want no smoke.

[@stevemitchell1454]

The world is far from free. We are vassals of the US. That's why more than half the world refuses to support NATO/US. China is lined up for the next attack by our so called friends.

[@80-80.]

Lovely to have Finland on the team.

[@TheEmpress185]

Also us in Poland are happy

[@peabase]

We're happy about the Rosomaks making their way into Ukraine.

[@happydog4929]

Congratulation to the Heroes of the winter War

[@peketee2278]

​@Kinzhal When did it happen?? as far as I know it's a third of a third....

[@TheJorif]

@@peketee2278 Hehe. True.

[@TheJorif]

@Kinzhal Where's the Nuke threat.

[@jaegerguard4147]

@Kinzhal around 10% in fact, u inflated it 'slightly' mate

[@RockerFinland]

​​​​@@peketee2278 Even the Soviet documents says Stalin actually wanted to get whole land (same fate as for the Baltics). It was the best possible outcome when unprepared Finnish military faced the biggest military power of that time: the Soviet Union in Stalin's era. Stalin was humiliated and wanted to be the winner on paper, if you've looked at the battles: Finland won almost all of the battles. That's why they say in the US it was a moral victory for the Finns

[@GregWilde]

Our prayers are answered for Finland. Thank you Turkey, Hungary, and all the NATO nations. Thank you Finland. Prayers for Sweden. The USA bows to wonderful Finland with humble gratitude.

[@taylana3331]

Sweden will join soon, USA and UK will make sure of it

[@jussee85]

Finland have biggest artillery in entire Europe and almost every man has military training. Reserve personnel 900,000 tained soldier.

[@user-xc5re8xb2t]

U really want them to fight to satisfy your dream?

[@peabase]

@@user-xc5re8xb2t As in crushing invading Orcs? Sure thing, that takes soldiers and artillery. Now there'll be NATO air power as well. Putin is crying himself to sleep tonight.

[@johnnysgamingclub2126]

​@@peabase LOL....Putin is crying because of mouse army😂😂😂

[@blackcoffeebeans6100]

​@@user-xc5re8xb2t Finland's military is a defensive military. It does not attack any country.

[@jaanakivalo7247]

You are a troll @@johnnysgamingclub2126

[@Eyyoh755]

Welcome Finland to the club! United we stand! Best wishes and greetings from Germany!

[@ramsestoo]

Denmark welcome Finland, GREAT to have you in NATO - waiting for Sweden as well

[@0wly]

Noo now we have the perfect opportunity go into sweden and take our rightfull lands in tornedalia and skane. :D

[@ConsumptiveSoul]

@@0wly let’s make NATO lake happen

[@johnnysgamingclub2126]

​@@ConsumptiveSoul Don't get nuked in process 😂😂

[@zbaby82]

Welcome to NATO Finland! And long live the free world!

[@leosalas41ify]

The USA welcomes the great people of Finland.

[@robharris8844U]

Its the closing of the Northern flank of NATO, it is great news for Finland and all of Europe. Norway and UK are happy for all of Scandinavia as the Baltic is now a very restricted area for Russian ships and subs in northern waters.✌️🇬🇧

[@Keralaforum]

Sweden, Finland etc are using the small Baltic countries as economic colonies. Nothing more than that!

[@johnnysgamingclub2126]

I don't think they care much for these "restrictions"...I mean what you going to do? Attack them? Lol

[@robharris8844U]

@@johnnysgamingclub2126 The only aggressor is them - it is what they do that dictates what will happen LOL 😆

[@johnnysgamingclub2126]

@@robharris8844U It will happen that Nazis will be obliterated. Make sure you distance yourself and your family on time.

[@johnchase7096]

Finland is a powerhouse. Having them on your side is a blessing. And in return they have family that will not let help protect their freedom.

[@devroombagchus7460]

Sweden is much more advanced than Hungary and so important to NATO. Furthermore, Hungary has a very sad tradition of always choosing the anti-democratic side. The same goes for Turkey. Is this why the two oppose one of the worlds most free states to become a member of an organization for the defense of freedom?

[@johnnysgamingclub2126]

So why don't you expel Turkey and Hungary and accept Sweden?

[@MTMF.london]

@@johnnysgamingclub2126 There has been no precedence to expel a member of NATO yet. But having said that, these two countries have certainly broken a few of NATO's criteria for membership - in particular, to uphold democracy and rule of law, to tolerate diversity and be good neighbours and respect their sovereignty. The time is ripe for NATO to enforce these requirements and warn members that non-compliance will result in expulsion.

[@yummm8775]

Welcome aboard, Finland! Hello from the United States of America! And thank you, Putin, for making NATO even stronger.

[@Cptnbond]

About Sweden, note that when saying Swedish politician has criticized Hungary, it refers to the previous government, that was the center-left coalition which has been in power for many years. Now, since the last election, Swedish government are run by a conservative coalition, thus cannot have been part of any old criticism. The Hungarian leadership just use this tactic because they believe that EU commission will release billions of Covid recovery funds. This money has been frozen since the EU commission (not Sweden) has given a report that Hungary is on slippery slope to become less democratic, and breaks important EU-rules for members. Sweden cannot change the situation, only Hungary parliament must fix their own internal problems, then EU can release the funds from EU.

[@ghansu]

Its still weird as a finn. We havent done anything for those two countries either and are against everything their goverments represents. Still they somehow think that Sweden cant join and Finland can.

[@ugvadugvaw]

@@ghansu In Hungary's case--Finns are not as vocal as Swedes. In Turkeys case, Sweden has quite a big community of Kurds (and regular Turks too) and some are in exile, politically. This infuriates Ankara. And Sweden has criticized Turkey for lack of civil rights, so old grudge that surfaces from Turkeys side. But I agree. Sweden has not done anything different really from Finland or has any different view on theese issues. Neither does any other country in EU or "the west".

[@aj3314]

​@ghansu sweden police protected the burning of a Holy book in front of Turkish embassy in Stockholm So there is a huge difference Imagine Turkey starts burning Holy book in front of Swedish embassy in Ankara

[@ugvadugvaw]

@@aj3314 Police is there to ensure safety and order. For everyone. In your hypothetical example, who is ”Turkey”? If it is arranged by the Turkish government eyebrows might rise and heads be shaken. If it was some lonely lunatic (like Paludan) people would 100% not care. People (Turks?) already burned Swedish flags in Ankara which is actually closer to being a hate crime than burning religious books. I find this hate against Sweden very strange. Sweden is one of the European countries that has been most open to muslims and has not shut refugees out from e.g. Iraq, Syria, Afghanustan, Somalia … Is this the thanks from the muslim world? Finland, as an example, has been very restrictive and hardly accepted any people from those places to come in to their country.

[@Check-it-out]

Russia wants a buffer around it. A buffer around the biggest open air prison…

[@metalhamster14]

North America and Europe are incredibly powerful. And Putin has pushed them closer together.

[@metalhamster14]

@Kinzhal Oh yes. India and China, the two most important members are best friends... er... NOT

[@ausryte14]

@Kinzhal 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@lucyebajo8625]

​@@Kinzhal-ny5iv😂😂😂

[@lucyebajo8625]

@@Kinzhal-ny5iv 🥱🥱🥱

[@saarinmaki]

Yes particularly pleased is Norway as well as the Baltics

[@STHFGDBY]

Thank you sooo much Mr Putin for adding Finland to our democratic anti authoritarian club, so nice of you.

[@MrJuhtuo]

Looking forward for democratic Russia.

[@MTMF.london]

@@Kinzhal-ny5iv 'BRICS is the future' has been bandied about since the 1990s - it's going nowhere.

[@jaegerguard4147]

@ryjnjuffjjj west far from perfect, but still the leading light in this f*cked up world mate

[@aksbeixhev]

I guess Finland and Sweden didn't want to be a "buffer" like Ukraine

[@ethanrichardson126]

a credible move to fair and permanant peace consolidation

[@leosalas41ify]

She did a great job.

[@BluffyMoo]

Francois Picard is such a great television presenter, always asking great probing questions. And his American accent makes it easy on the ears too.

[@mikecamacho1934]

One is an existential threat, the other is a hardship.

[@MysliusLT]

Welcome Finland

[@LegionIscariot]

I don't think Finland has to worry about military attacks. I don't think Russia would dare. But Russia do like to destabilize. Destroy from the inside. So Finland just needs to be monitoring that.

[@luigimgallo]

Welcome Finland where you belong!

[@johnnysgamingclub2126]

To looser club 😂😂

[@luigimgallo]

@@johnnysgamingclub2126 Your knowledge of the English language is appalling. But what else do you expect from Putin-bots?

[@LetsBringThePain]

now we just need Sweden with Ukraine to join the party and NATO will be a complete package in Europe 😀

[@peabase]

There's also Austria, Cyprus, Malta and Ireland. Then the package will be complete.

[@tedcrilly46]

Irelands never joining. Switzerland too.

[@peabase]

@@tedcrilly46 For how long is Ireland going to hide behind Mother UK's skirts?

[@lucyebajo8625]

​@@Kinzhal-ny5iv😂😂😂 Finland 🎉🎉🎉

[@robinmiller5256]

Why did turkey go against the Finland membership to NATO in the beginning?

[@peabase]

Finland was the other pawn in Erdogan's blunt scheme to force the US to sell Turkey F-16s and F-16 upgrade kits. Turkey has now gained Biden's approval for the deal, but some US congressmen insist on seeing Turkey ratify Sweden's NATO accession before they approve the sale (I know, trust issues). Maybe Erdogan can still squeeze a token concession out of Sweden with regard to its Kurdish refugees, you know, for publicity purposes, but it's basically a done deal that Turkey "relents".

[@JustSaying001]

We dont know

[@sktt1488]

@@JustSaying001 weapon embargo

[@MTMF.london]

Because Erdogan is an a**hole.

[@luminousfractal420]

I thought we had to call it turkeye or something now?

[@AXXeYY]

swede here Sophie Enos-Attali know what she talks about

[@colinbyerly5212]

The people’s voice are reduced by those few in leadership to be a part of the same old wars that now have trained the new enemy’s defeated in 1940s .

[@arizonaranger8402]

I hope this doesn't change their status of being the happiest country in the world!!

[@larrys4383]

Why would it? The other two “happiest” countries have been in NATO for decades.

[@elffelfsson7360]

They made it safe way this time. No maps.

[@jasc4364]

Sweden is still pending. I think the Swedes must regret their dangerous neutrality today. Before Erdogan, they would have been welcomed enthusiastically in NATO. Today we can fear that the door will be closed to them forever if Hungary or Turkey want to show their pro-Russian or anti-USA enthusiasm.

[@petersouthernboy6327]

Russia brought this on themselves

[@petersouthernboy6327]

@Kinzhal you wish in your fever dreams. BRICS will *NOT* allow their currencies to be floated on the world trading markets like the US Dollar and the Euro.

[@lucyebajo8625]

​@@Kinzhal-ny5iv😂😂😂😂

[@lucyebajo8625]

@@Kinzhal-ny5iv 🥱🥱🥱

[@superpower21]

​@Kinzhal no

[@jariyrjanainen8770]

Issue seems to be in this comments either economical or militarity subject. My grandpa told that ruskies used to declare during winter war over trenchies; Finish comeradeworkers kill your bosses and we will give you bread. Finns answered; come and get some butter and meat over your bread! We joining to Nato doesn't mean war. Just stay inside your border and retried Ukraina, pay your damages and you will be left in peace, alone!

[@eskokauppila1327]

"...without morfin, without alcohol and without electrictobaco

[@NickiH-sc8uo]

NATO 💪💪💪

[@lucyebajo8625]

NATO allies 🎉🎉🎉 Finland membership 👍🙏🙏😇😇

[@gerryhouska2859]

Hopefully soon Sweden in and Turkey and Hungary out. While they have European territory, they are not European by history, culture, nature.

[@Mats_Larsson_64]

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu spoke during a press conference after a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday. He compared Sweden to Nazi Germany, referred to the burning of the Koran and said that that, book bonfires, was how Nazism started. The Turkish narrative increasingly resembles the Russian one. Swedish NATO membership does not look imminent!

[@dc8061]

When you corner a dog he will bite. This aint a good thing..this the begining of ww3.

[@hilltopintegratedfarm1693]

Solve Frances problem first before other countries problem

[@tazanteflight8670]

"This is bad news for the battle states" There I fixed it for you

[@mexicano89]

#BRICS

[@MTMF.london]

🤣🤣🤣

[@gavjarman7634]

But would Putin attack NATO

[@mamacryright5740]

Suffocating instead

[@luminousfractal420]

No. He cant. He seems to have no coms outside of russia (why he needs chinese ai self guided missiles, his nukes need to be manually targetted). He would have to fire his nukes blind. And bear in mind last year france told us about their new briefcase sized particle collider (satellite sized). You add that tech to ai and satellite constellations and were pretty well protected. As far as the chinese missiles go, china needed the middle east on side. Trump screwed that up. Theres been some handshakes and cooperation between the saudi prince and the west recently. Were good.

[@krisowy79]

Good luck with that - unless he uses nukes he doesn't stand a chance - and if he does it's adiós muchachios for Russia as well as there would be a nuclear response

[@gavjarman7634]

Yeah but would he

[@Ifatov]

@@gavjarman7634 No, he wouldn't, which is exactly why Finland joined.

[@TC1TheOrginal]

So was ukraine didn't work out for them

[@bishopofsahs]

That talk about buffer zone is talk from the cold war. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Plus she don’t speak English too well.

[@hurri7720]

Erdogan and Orban are just two guy who cannot refrain from using this opportunity to sound mighty and important in their home countries and for some "late time milking" to get something from somewhere, be it the USA or Putin. Just that type of persons, and I hope they are soon outvoted at home as long as it is still possible.

[@harryagbolusu8525]

That's good news from Finland but NATO countries are not dynamic to face Russia how can Russia alone disturbing like that

[@krisowy79]

That's not even English

[@maxros8102]

''everythings is going according to plan''

[@hazlinabdulhamid7461]

New mindset and strategic projections in Europe.. ASEAN noted..🙏🇻🇳🇲🇲🇰🇭🇱🇦🇹🇭🇸🇬🇧🇳🇵🇭🇲🇾🇮🇩. 🇹🇱

[@bruceli9094]

Finland has finnished Russia.

[@tamunoemibarango2589]

What's the good news all about, moving and Looking for Troubles all over neighboring Countries of the Russian federation is that the good news Rather a bigger Confrontation awaiting in the Future..

[@MTMF.london]

@@Kinzhal-ny5iv Dream on.

[@fadlanfadilah1171]

i guess its time to abandon ukraine then. new plaything has joined.

[@dblaze4745]

NATO Why you force my country Macedonia to change the name?

[@nenasiek]

Think thats greece, and it has to do with the EU not NATO

[@cravingtuna1561]

Because your country never had anything to do with Macedonia besides geography. So we slapped a North next to it so you finally accept it

[@dblaze4745]

​@@cravingtuna1561 Only fastest think that way...

[@dblaze4745]

​@@nenasiek EU and USA dhey dictated with a referendum question... Macedonian's Did not vote.

[@cravingtuna1561]

@@dblaze4745 either way your country was never called Macedonia. Officially it was FYROM until it officially became North Macedonia.

[@marybassiri4786]

Congratulations to Finland to joining the set of targets of Russian hypersonic missiles. Let's Cheer Up for now!

[@mythoughts5615]

When was the last time a NATO member was attacked? Exactly...

[@krisowy79]

My thoughts...that's exactly the point - notice that the only countries that Putin attacked in the last few decades are the poor souls who didn't have the protection of NATO. Now when did NATO ever attack Russia?...exactly😉

[@Ifatov]

Can't remember the last time Russia fired on a NATO country. Which is exactly why Finland joined. So yes, let's cheer for Finland for being a safer place now.

[@OlegHooH]

Response will be not only from Finland. It will be from nuclear countries US, France, UK. Murmansk, Peterburg, Karelia will be controlled more precisely.

[@lighterudite]

Based on my research it was almost 2 times accidentally. 1st - when the Norwegian scientific rocket was mistaken by a missile and almost caused a catastrophe. 2nd - When Ukraine deflected the Russian missile and it landed in Poland.

[@blairseaman461]

This is not good news. Making deals with the Devil.

[@robharris8844U]

NATO is making no deal with Russia 😂😂

[@Jamal-bq7bq]

Russia already put the nukes facing Finland, Russia have over 2000 tactical nukes and I won't be surprised if Putin press the 31 button at all Nato countries at the same time and I hope so too.

[@MotoRide.]

Please remember to use your prescribed medicine before going online, tnx

[@iandennis7836]

Well Jamal, there's an organisation that helps people who want to commit suicide........they're called the Samaritans and you can phone them for free. Ah go on, what have you to lose now......

[@emmanuelmutinda1351]

U.S will use them as cannon folders incase of a direct confrontation with Russia.

[@peabase]

The question is, when nuclear winter has set in and all the cows have been eaten, will Jamal eat his neighbour or will his neighbour eat Jamal? I hope we can enjoy the spectacle from Valhalla.

[@MTMF.london]

@@Kinzhal-ny5iv Dream on.

[@prakashman1]

Politics aside. Henceforth Finland may lose happiest country status.

[@upnorth2421]

Oh dear, you have misunderstood. Constant threat from russia was not the thing keeping us happy.

[@krisowy79]

Nothing will change politically or even militaryly - but when in need against Russian attack, Finland can count on back up - but history shows that NATO country are safe from Russias attacks

[@kimwit1307]

or become even happier

[@emmanuelmutinda1351]

​@@krisowy79 What makes nation safe is making their own weapons and embracing peace with their neighbours.

[@peabase]

@@kimwit1307 True dat. Schadenfreude contributes to happiness when: a) a bully is on the receiving end, and, b) the Schaden is self-inflicted.

[@ramrai5783]

POOR NATO 😂

[@peabase]

Why so? NATO just grew stronger. In the meantime, Putin's anti-NATO, the CSTO, died a quiet death.

[@dimitrimorakhovski5287]

Finland enjoyed peace and prosperity remaining neutral. There was even the term "finlindazation" to describe this model. Its gone now. Whatever the reason there is trouble for Finnair, future access to arctic programs, border trade etc. The worst is to come when americans bring military infrastructure to Finland. I think it is a knee jerk reaction. Quite short sighted.

[@edonveil9887]

Attacking your neighbor is basically a bad idea. Doing it repeatedly would make it even worse.

[@upnorth2421]

Then russia should not have threatened us, told us not to join and most of all attack Ukraine.

[@naurunappula1]

Finladization is a negative term

[@starvictory7079]

Finlandization was very bad. The Soviet Union basically told them who to do business with and in the 70s a Finnish presidential election was cancelled because the Soviet Union demanded it. It was like walking on egg shells.

[@Aer0n023]

Ok, Dimitri.

[@majidbhat214]

last nail in wests coffin

[@luminousfractal420]

How so?

[@krisowy79]

Ok Vanya😉. We just added 1 million modern and well trained soldiers against potential Russian attack to Baltic States - I think it's pretty good deal for Europe😉

[@kimwit1307]

another nail is russia's coffin, more like

[@reddeercanoe]

It’s India that’s finished it’s only friend is ruzzia and they won’t help when China invades. Ruzzia is now a vassal state to China. India will disappear within a decade.

[@larrys4383]

You must have a depressing job.

[@StPiter111]

It's s very bad news for Scandinavian paper, food and timber industries. What about Lapeenranta, Imatra and Turku tourists' industries😁

[@metamind411]

Finland has closed the border for Russian tourists months ago.

[@Stebetto3]

What about droid attack on wookies? Ruskies aren't only who use paper,food,timber. There are a lot other tourist coming than Ruskies. 90% Ruskies go to Bali/Turkey anyway. Even long before the war.

[@robertplant2059]

Those areas will be able to rid the stink in time, hopefully it will wash away.

[@MrDanisve]

lol paper industry died quite a few years ago.. Timber industry is booming, specially after the beetle problems in North America. Making alot of timber from there useless. Food industry? lol Scandinavia is not a very good place to do agriculture. Very short summers, bad terrain in alot of places. So you cannot have huge machinery like the plains of USA. Tractors here in the hills of Norway carry pretty small equipment compared to their american or german counterparts. And the farms are somewhat small. Our food production is for security, not profit. We actually lose money on our agriculture. But we get to controll the antibiotics use etc. And food security.

[@saaraa7876]

I’m from Turku, we barely ever got Russian tourists even before last year. What a weird example, we’re on the West coast.