Thread by @HenriVanhanen

A thread on international reactions on Finland's 🇫🇮potential NATO membership. Key take: the initial caution amid the early weeks of the war is shifting to a openly positive support for Finland. Escalation fears are fading as the war prolongs and becomes more brutal.

1. Norwegian 🇳🇴 FM @AHuitfeldt 1.4. :

"NATO's door remains open to those European countries that want to join and meet the membership criteria. If Finland applied for NATO membership, it would of course have the full support of Norway."

hs.fi/politiikka/art…

2. Danish 🇩🇰 PM Mette Fredriksen 30.3. :

"If or when Finland would choose to seek membership of NATO, Denmark would of course support it very strongly."

arctictoday.com/denmark-would-…

3. Islandic 🇮🇸 FM @thordiskolbrun 29.3. :

"If Finland decides to apply for membership, Iceland will support it."

yle.fi/uutiset/3-1238…

4. Estonian 🇪🇪 PM @kajakallas 7.3. :

"Should Finland decide to apply for NATO membership, Estonia will ratify accession at lightning speed.

yle.fi/news/3-12347637

5. Latvian 🇱🇻 PM @krisjaniskarins 25.3. :

"Latvia would accept Finland's application for NATO membership on the same afternoon if Finland applied for membership of the military alliance."

hs.fi/politiikka/art…

6. Lithuanian 🇱🇹 Deputy DefMin @AbukeviciusM 4.4. :

"Lithuania would welcome Finland to NATO with flying flags. Finland now has an important window of opportunity open."

kaleva.fi/liettua-toivot…

7. German 🇩🇪 Chancellor @Bundeskanzler 16.3. :

"The wishes that Finland brings to us and the alliances that we are involved in are always very welcome."

reuters.com/world/europe/g…

8. French 🇫🇷 FM @JY_LeDrian 31.3. :

"France will support Finland if it decides to apply to NATO."

hs.fi/politiikka/art…

9. President Niinistö after his visit to London to meet with JEF members & 🇬🇧 PM Johnson 15.3. :

"We have the full support of the UK on our side when we make decisions."

Also: "In all the discussions I had, it was repeated how NATO's door remains open."

is.fi/politiikka/art…

10. President's Niinistö and Biden met 4.3. On 11.3. US 🇺🇸 Ambassador in 🇫🇮 wrote an op-ed:

"Finland is an important partner of the US and NATO, and we support NATO's open door policy...the US supports Finland's considered national security decisions"

iltalehti.fi/politiikka/a/6…

12. A positive and welcoming signal was also heard by @USAmbNATO 5.4.

"The US would welcome Sweden and Finland into Nato if they requested membership — as they are showing signs of wanting to do after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine."

dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-0…

13. PM Marin and 🇨🇦 PM @JustinTrudeau met on 23.3. After the meeting Marin said:

"Finland is welcome if we want to apply for NATO membership. This was the key message."

yle.fi/uutiset/3-1237…

14. Canadian 🇨🇦 FM @melaniejoly 4.4. :

"Naturally, it's up to Finland to decide on its intention to join NATO. But we think that by all standards, from military capabilities, shared values ​​and rule of law, Finland is worthy of NATO membership."

hs.fi/politiikka/art…

15. Turkish 🇹🇷 Ambassador in Helsinki 7.4. :

"NATO's open door policy remains in place and is supported by Turkey...Turkey would give a positive consideration to Finland's possible application for NATO membership."

hs.fi/politiikka/art…

16. President Niinistö also held a "a positive phone call" with President Erdogan 4.4. Before that, FM @Haavisto has also held a dialogue with Turkey the past weeks.

https://twitter.com/niinisto/status/1510975784579747846?s=20&t=h_2PxzO10DiMN6kjLKMdTQ

yle.fi/uutiset/3-1236…

17. Belgian 🇧🇪 PM @alexanderdecroo 25.3. :

"If Finland decided to join, it would be Finland’s own decision, and if Finland wanted to be one of them, I would very much welcome it."

hs.fi/politiikka/art…

18. NATO SG @jensstoltenberg has repeatedly said that 🇫🇮 and 🇸🇪 would be welcomed to NATO and that they could go through a quick accession process within the organization.

6.4. "If they decide to apply, I expect that all allies will welcome them."

abcnews.go.com/International/…

19. Russia 🇷🇺 has throughout the past years stated that Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership would cause a negative reaction. It has repeated its warning of “serious military and political consequences” several times after the war in Ukraine began.

euractiv.com/section/politi…

20. To sum: The most vocal and direct support for Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership has been from other Nordic countries and the Baltic states. Big member states such as the US, UK and France have also been clear on their support for both Nordic countries.

21. While these cover a portion of NATO member states statements, based on my personal experiences the message is now harmonized and receptive in all member states. Finland and Sweden are seen as potentially adding value to NATO, there's no question about this.

@rmilneNordic @AnnwieAnna @morcos_pierre @IlvesToomas @NTenzer @patrikoksanen @RikeFranke @ulrichspeck @elisabethbraw @terischultz @ianbremmer @alexstubb @thomaswright08 @RachelRizzo @shashj @ZCarlander @MansRAD @FHeisbourg @AKendallTaylor @andrewmichta @TheresaAFallon