Finland & Sweden have formally applied to join NATO this morning.

I was watching a report on this last week and they said a minority of Finnish people have always wanted to join NATO but a majority not and there had been a massive swing in support to join NATO, I think 75% supported it at the beginning of the month up from 25%!

Turkey have apparently blocked it

I think NATO alliances are President Putin’s bete noir.

The old guard of Russia have been looking to resurrect the USSR for decades, and that he will view this as justification for his actions in Ukraine.

Petera

GrannyGravy13

We have close friends in Sweden, and they are extremely jittery

I was talking to a Finnish friend about this and, while nervous, she fully supports it and thinks the majority of her compatriots feel the same way.

Her take is that SE/FI have aligned so much with NATO that the only thing missing is Article 5. And while agreeing that Article 5 is a big deal, she thinks that Putin will make noises but not see it in the same way as UA potentially joining.

But, as she says herself, predicting Putin is a very inexact science. But doing nothing is a much a choice as doing something.

..and if I can make a prediction, the TR objection will blow over.

But as has been said many times “Never make predictions, especially about the future.”

GrannyGravy13

We have close friends in Sweden, and they are extremely jittery

I was talking to a Finnish friend about this and, while nervous, she fully supports it and thinks the majority of her compatriots feel the same way.

Her take is that SE/FI have aligned so much with NATO that the only thing missing is Article 5. And while agreeing that Article 5 is a big deal, she thinks that Putin will make noises but not see it in the same way as UA potentially joining.

But, as she says herself, predicting Putin is a very inexact science. But doing nothing is a much a choice as doing something.

We've been on a slippery slope with Putin for a very long time. Our biggest mistake was to stand by and let him take Crimea etc back in 2014. He saw our weak actions and lack of unity as an opportunity to further his ambition. I'm very relieved that Finland and Sweden want to join NATO, it gives Putin a strong signal of unity. If he intends to escalate the war further, he will do it regardless. It also sends a strong message to China.

It's a catch 22 situation with Finland and Sweden isn't it. I can understand why they want to ally themselves with NATO but who knows how Putin will view it. He won't back down now. As volver said Turkey may well block them as all countries have to agree.

Sweden and Finland are vulnerable now Putin has invaded Ukraine so it's understandable that they want to be protected by NATO.
This was not what Putin was expecting as he feels threatened by NATO. Nobody can know how he will respond if he feels that Russia is vulnerable.

Putin has nobody to blame but himself he started all this by invading Ukraine. What gives him the right to tell other countries what they can or cannot do.
Things are really not going the way he planned and that is probably when he is the most dangerous. But bullies cannot win.
He really cannot be that stupid he has been threatening nuclear responses can he not even imagine what would happen if he even tried.

What do they think about NATO membership GG13?

We have close friends in Sweden, and they are extremely jittery

I think the slippery slope started when Putin invaded Ukraine.

When neutral countries start forming alliances that could be interpreted as a threatening act, we are on a slippery slope.

It sends a shiver down my spine, especially at this sensitive moment. We know Putin is a loony and will stop at nothing. His response will be to say "I told you so" and use it as justification for his aggression in Ukraine.

Finland was historically part of Russia. They have been neutral for years and have avoided aligning themselves with anyone. They have an 800 mile long border with Russia. Putin has form now for invading countries he'd like to have back in the USSR. If I was Finnish, if be joining NATO too, and if Putin complains, well he knows who to blame.

Anyway, Turkey may well block it.

No, I think it sends a strong message to Putin that ultimately he won’t win - and if I lived in Finland or Sweden I’d want to be in NATO too.

That’s my fear too.