NATO
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Context: Finland, which shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia and Sweden are now seen as highly likely to join NATO, which Russia says would have "serious military and political consequences".
Why are Sweden and Finland not NATO members?
- Both have been non-aligned since World War Two despite having small military forces, relative to Russia.
- Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917 and fought two wars against it during World War Two during which it lost some territory to Moscow.
- Finland signed an Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance with Russia in 1948, cementing a degree of economic and political dependency and isolating it militarily from Western Europe.
- The end of the Cold War, bringing a break-up of the Soviet Union, allowed Finland to step out of Russia's shadow as the threat from Moscow diminished.
- It has relied on its own military deterrence and friendly relations with Moscow to keep the peace.
- Sweden has not fought a war for 200 years and post-war foreign policy has focused on supporting democracy internationally, multilateral dialogue and nuclear disarmament.
- It ran down its military after the Cold War, hoping in the event of any conflict it could delay a Russian advance until help arrived.
- Both Finland and Sweden switched from formal neutrality to military non-alignment in 1995 when they joined the European Union.
- Both have drawn ever closer to NATO in recent years, exchanging intelligence and participating in alliance exercises, in response to an increasingly belligerent Russia.
- Joining the alliance would bring Sweden and Finland under the umbrella of Article 5, which guarantees that an attack on one NATO ally is an attack on all.
How broad is support for NATO membership?
- Polls show a slim majority of Swedes back joining NATO and there is a majority in parliament in support of an application.
- Media reports indicate a majority of Finnish lawmakers and most parties support joining NATO, with the exception of the Left Alliance.
When could they join?
- Finland looks closer to applying for membership than Sweden as it updated its foreign and security policy in a white paper.
- It has a NATO "option", a kind of a plan of action that mandates applying if the security situation deteriorates.
What is NATO?
- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliancecreated in 1949.
- Aim:to provide collective security against Soviet expansionism and to encourage European political integration in the aftermath of World War II.
- It serves as a collective security system, wherein its member states agree to mutually defend any attack on a member party.
- Membership:There are 30 countries that are currently part of NATO. Two countries in North America and 28 European countries, including several former Soviet nations.
What does it take to become a member of the alliance?
- It employs an "open door policy"for aspiring members.
- Any European country can become a member of the Alliance at the invitation of the North Atlantic Council.
- Aspiring nations have to meet certain political, economic, and military standards to join. That includes
- New members must uphold democracy, including tolerating diversity
- New members must be making progress toward a market economy
- Their military forces must be under firm civilian control
- They must be good neighbors and respect sovereigntyoutside their borders
- They must be working toward compatibility with NATO forces
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