Leaders announce support for Finland to join NATO `without delay'

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Thursday announced their support for Finland joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) "without delay''.

The leaders said there had been several indications that Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre-long border with Russia, would apply for membership in the Western military alliance in the light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"NATO membership will strengthen Finland's security.

"As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance. Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay,'' they said.

The leaders added that they hoped "the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.''

The support of Finland's head of state and head of government makes it highly likely that Finland would apply for membership in the military alliance, after decades of remaining formally neutral.

There had been a drastic shift in public opinion toward NATO membership since the war in Ukraine began.

In a recent survey, 76 per cent of respondents in Finland were in favour of such a move.

Several political parties had also signalled their backing.

Other Nordic countries Denmark, Norway and Iceland have been members of NATO since its founding in 1949.

Sweden, which, like Finland was not a NATO member, was expected to announce its decision on NATO membership in the coming days.