Finland’s parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Highlights
- Finland’s parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Of 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight against the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen said.
- Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no reason to celebrate because “there is war in Europe” President Sauli Niinisto and the government decided officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for NATO membership.
- The decision was pending parliament’s approval pending the approval of the 200-member parliament, which includes some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, among them Markus Mustajarvi.