A NATO membership “would permanently increase tensions with Russia” along Finland’s border with Russia, President Sauli Niinistö said Saturday in an interview with the country’s public broadcaster Yle TV1.
Niinistö said the greatest benefit of a NATO membership would be “gaining a preventive effect,” but there would also be a risk for various types of Russian retaliation, including hybrid threats.
The president also said that the benefits of being part of NATO would outweigh the negative ramifications, and that it is most important to find solutions to increase his country’s security.
“Sufficient security is where Finns can feel that there is no emergency and there won’t be one,” he said, while also adding that being part of the alliance would provide the “most sufficient” security.
Since Russian’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland has been considering joining the military alliance, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told CNN’s Becky Anderson earlier this month.
