WASHINGTON (AFP) - US senators promised on Thursday (May 12) to move quickly to bring Finland into Nato after the country's leaders voiced support for joining the alliance in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Senate approves treaties and must consent to bringing new members into Nato.
Senator Bob Menendez, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told a hearing that the panel "is already working to ensure swift consideration" for both Finland and Sweden if either applies. The committee's top Republican, Jim Risch, called Finland's announcement "a tremendous step forward in the future of transatlantic security".
"The decision to move towards Nato membership is a serious one, and I extend my commitment to support Finland through this process," Risch wrote on Twitter.
Across the Atlantic, Germany said it welcomed Finland's decision. In a tweet, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Helsinki has Berlin's backing.
"In a telephone conversation with the President.. I have assured Finland of the full support of the German government," tweeted Scholz.
There was a similar reaction from France.
"The president said France fully supports Finland's sovereign choice to rapidly join Nato," the Elysee Palace said following telephone talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said the eventual membership process would be "smooth and swift".
A formal statement to join is expected on Sunday.
"This is a sovereign decision by Finland, which Nato fully respects. Should Finland decide to apply, they would be warmly welcomed into Nato," Stoltenberg said.
Change in perspective
Ukraine's fate has been particularly disturbing for Finland to watch as it fought two wars with Russia between 1939 and 1944, repelling an attempted invasion but losing around 10 per cent of its territory in the subsequent peace agreement.
The view among Finns on Nato has changed rapidly since Russia initiated what it calls a "special operation" in Ukraine. Public support for joining Nato has risen to record numbers over recent months, with the latest poll by public broadcaster YLE showing 76 per cent of Finns in favour and only 12 per cent against, while support for membership used to linger at only around 25 per cent for years prior to the war in Ukraine.
While military non-alignment has long satisfied many Finns as a way of staying out of conflicts, Russia's invasion of sovereign Ukraine has led an increasing number of Finns to view friendly relations with Russia as an empty phrase.
Sweden's ruling Social Democrats are expected to decide on Sunday whether to overturn decades of opposition to Nato membership, a move that would almost certainly lead to Sweden also asking to join the 30-nation alliance.
A poll by Demoskop in daily Aftonbladet on Tuesday showed support for Nato membership, which has been rising steadily among Swedes this year, at 61 per cent up 4 percentage points from the end of April. In January, the figure was 42 per cent.
