Finland’s accession to NATO has been hailed as a historic step for the security of Europe by the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Following its decision to join NATO in the wake of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Finland has become the 31st member of the alliance. Finnish membership in NATO is expected to benefit both Helsinki and the whole of Europe, according to Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky. Lipavsky also said that Finland’s newest NATO membership will make it a strong ally, especially in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Most NATO countries have not yet reached the goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense, including the Czech Republic. However, the Czech Republic is planning to achieve this level next year. According to Lipavsky, he fully understands Finland’s decision to join NATO since it has a very strong military and spends 4% of GDP on defense.

Fiala also stated that Finland joining the alliance represents a significant reinforcement of NATO as a military defense pact. Furthermore, he expressed hope that Hungary and Turkey would ratify the entry of Sweden, which is also seeking to become a NATO member soon. Sweden has been waiting for approval from Turkey, but its request has been held back due to Sweden’s approach to Kurdish people living in Sweden, whom the Turkish government regards as terrorists.

Lipavsky said that while the Czech Republic would try to support Sweden’s entry into NATO, the decision is not in Czech hands. Finland’s accession into NATO is considered a significant move towards strengthening the military defense pact of the alliance. With its strong military and significant investment in defense, Finland is expected to contribute to the security and stability of the region. It is hoped that the entry of more countries into the alliance, such as Sweden, would lead to further strengthening of NATO.

Article by Prague Forum