Gov't Publishes White Paper On Security, NATO Membership

The Finnish gov't has published a white paper on the country's security outlook, which is being viewed as a precursor to debates and a decision on whether the country should join the NATO alliance.

• Link to paper here: https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/hand...
• "...Finland is not facing an immediate military threat. However, Finland must be prepared for the use or the threat of use of military force against it as well as political pressure. Finland is also preparing for the contingency that military force might be used solely against Finland."
• "Should Finland and Sweden become NATO members, the threshold for using military force in the Baltic Sea region would rise, which would enhance the stability of the region in the long term."
• "Finland would aim to continue to maintain functioning relations with Russia in the event it becomes a NATO member."
• "If Finland applied for NATO membership, it should be prepared for extensive efforts to exercise influence and risks that are difficult to anticipate, such as increasing tensions on the border between Finland and Russia. Finland will strengthen its preparedness for becoming a target of wide-ranging hybrid influence activities and in order to prevent and respond to such efforts to exercise influence."