The Finnish government has delayed the process of applying for NATO to join the alliance at the same time as Sweden.
This was reported by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN), citing a source from the Swedish government.
“Finland is currently slowing down the process, while Sweden has speeded it up so that both countries if such a decision is made, can apply for membership at the same time,” the source said.
Earlier, Erki Tuomioja, deputy chairman of the Finnish parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said Helsinki could apply for NATO membership in the coming weeks. Tuomioya stressed that the decision has “a strong majority in both public opinion and parliament”. At the same time, he did not reveal his attitude to the country’s entry into the North Atlantic Alliance.
The British newspaper The Times reported on April 11 that Sweden and Finland were ready to join NATO in the summer of 2022. According to the alliance’s sources, such decisions by Stockholm and Helsinki were the result of a strategic mistake by Russia.
NATO is not considering a military escort of merchant ships in the Black Sea
NATO is not considering providing a naval escort for merchant ships in the Black Sea, as member states fear being involved in a potential conflict with Russia.
This was stated in a statement by NATO in response to a call from Rene Kofod-Olsen, head of V.Group, a world leader in ship management and maritime services.
“NATO is not considering a naval escort mission in the Black Sea, but the alliance’s coastal allies – Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey – have sent ships to search for and clear mines that may be in the area,” an alliance spokesman was quoted as saying by the Financial Newspaper. the Times ”, to which the foreign media also refer.
Any naval operation carried out by NATO-flagged Allied ships will require the support of all 30 members of the bloc, the paper said.
Earlier, the head of V.Group called on the Western alliance to intervene to ensure the possibility of trade with the region, which is vital for global food supplies. “We must demand that our navigation and shipping be protected in international waters,” Kofod-Olsen said. “I am convinced that NATO and others have a role to play in protecting the merchant navy,” he added.
