Stakes rise as Sweden, Finland eye NATO move

Sweden and Finland, which have long held a policy of neutrality in military conflicts, are likely to become the latest countries to join the US-led NATO as the Russia-Ukraine conflict triggered deep security concerns in Europe.

At a joint news conference in Stockholm with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on Wednesday, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Finland would make a decision within "weeks rather than months", while Andersson said her country would not rush a decision, but its assessment of the security situation would be "thorough but expedient".

Andersson added that Sweden is scheduled to hold an election in September, and a report analyzing the country's security options is expected to be ready for lawmakers by the end of May, but could be completed sooner.

"There are still political processes to be completed in the two countries, but now both Sweden and Finland are on track to apply for NATO membership before its Madrid summit," wrote Carl Bildt, former Swedish prime minister and now co-chair of think tank European Council on Foreign Relations, in a tweet on Wednesday.

Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported that Sweden would likely seek to join NATO in June during its summit in Madrid, Spain. Sweden does not share a land border with Russia.

Meanwhile, Finland's parliament will hold hearings by its security experts in the coming weeks as the country makes its decision "before midsummer", Marin said.

A survey by the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat showed that half of the 200 members of parliament approve of NATO membership, while 12 firmly opposed. Others said they will decide later where they stand after detailed discussions.

The Finnish government, in a report to the parliament, described the security situation in Europe and in Finland as "more serious and more difficult to predict than at any time since the Cold War".

According to the rules, all 30 NATO members would need to approve new membership applications, which will likely take months or a year.

Door remains open

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and top United States officials have said that the door for NATO membership remains open.

Russia, which has long opposed NATO expansion eastward, has warned that Sweden and Finland's NATO membership would not bring stability to Europe.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said on Thursday that if Sweden and Finland join NATO, Russia will take measures in the Baltics.

"There can be no more talk of any nuclear-free status for the Baltics," he said.

Agencies contributed to this story.