Sauli Niinisto discusses Russia’s potential response following his nation’s pledge to hitch NATO.
Finland shares a border with Russia that’s greater than 1,300 kilometres lengthy, so sustaining neutrality within the energy wrestle between East and West has all the time been central to the nation’s survival.
The Nordic nation had beforehand refused to hitch NATO. However following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Helsinki put its historic neutrality apart and formally requested to hitch the West’s main navy alliance. In response, Moscow warned there may very well be political and navy penalties.
So is a Russian offensive potential? And would Finland be ready to face it?
The president of Finland, Sauli Niinisto, talks to Al Jazeera.