The general secretary of the NATO, Jens Stoltenberggreeted this Thursday the intention of Finland of submitting its candidacy to join that military alliance and added that the accession process will take place quickly.
“If Finland decides to apply [de adhesión a la alianza]it would be warmly received in NATO and the accession process would be smooth and quick,” Stoltenberg said.
Finland, he added, is “one of NATO’s closest partners, a mature democracy, a member of the European Union and a major contributor to Euro-Atlantic security.”
Furthermore, a Finnish membership “would show that the door to NATO is open,” the Norwegian official added.
On Thursday, Finnish President Sauli Niisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced that the country wants “without delay” to gain membership in the transatlantic military alliance.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov immediately said in Moscow that Finland’s accession to NATO would “undoubtedly” be a threat to Russia, since the two countries share a border.
“The enlargement of NATO and the alliance’s approach to our borders do not make the world or our continent more stable and secure,” the spokesman said.