Neutral Finland, Sweden warm to idea of NATO membership

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

HELSINKI (AP) — Through the Cold War and the decades since, nothing could persuade Finns and Swedes that they would be better off joining NATO — until now.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has profoundly changed Europe’s security outlook, including for Nordic neutrals Finland and Sweden, where support for joining NATO has surged to record levels.

A poll commissioned by Finnish broadcaster YLE this week showed that, for the first time, more than 50% of Finns support joining the Western military alliance. In neighboring Sweden, a similar poll showed those in favor of NATO membership outnumber those against.

“The unthinkable might start to become thinkable,” tweeted former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, a proponent of NATO membership.

https://apnews.com/article/finland-sweden-nato-membership-34ef217e563ac9ea080c495ce6ffdb88

[Swede]

1. They have gotten a rude awakening.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2022/03/02/sweden-Russian-planes-Sweden-airspace/4711646274809/

[Omnipresent]

2. Well, I'm glad a friend of a friend turned them onto it.

Since NATO’s only been around for a little while….

[Wicked Blue]

3. Finland is only neutral because Russian insists on it

I doubt people there actually want to be neutral.