Although, European countries such as Norway, Denmark and Iceland are officially member-states of NATO, Sweden and Finland have not yet joined the military alliance due to their historical and geopolitical reasons. Sweden took impartial stance during the Cold War and refused to be part of alliances of the US or the Soviet Union.
CNN reported on Monday that the Russian attack on Ukraine has prompted the two countries to call for joining NATO, because they are afraid of potential incursion by Russians.
CNN quoted Sanna Marin, Finland's Prime Minister, as saying that the whole situation has changed since the Russian attack on Ukraine and that people in Finland, as well as Sweden have changed their opinion.
Finland's former prime minister Alexander Stubb told CNN that the decision to join NATO was made at 5 a.m. on February 24, when Russians started attacking Ukraine; otherwise, Finland and Sweden would have never joined NATO.
The most important issue that urges these two nations to express eagerness to join NATO is that according to the Article 5 of the treaty, attack on a member- states is considered incursion into other members, CNN added.
There are some member-states that do not have any powerful army; so, their membership in NATO translates into conducting joint maneuvers and military trainings along with its 30 member states, the American TV network argued.
Prior to Ukraine crisis, Russia urged the Western powers to avoid expanding towards their eastern borders.
Peter Hultqvist, Sweden's Defense Minister, told CNN that Russia wants to increase its actual influence in security choices in Europe, and that Moscow is willing to influence its neighboring states, which is unacceptable for Sweden.
The process of joining to NATO will take about one year, while Turkey as a member-state opposes the move; so, Sweden and Finland will face a big hurdle in the way to join the organization, CNN wrote.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on May 12 that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has unfortunately opened a new chapter in Europe, and that Britain is determined to protect Sweden and Finland.
Sweden's ruling party announced on May 15 that it will agree to join NATO.
The Kremlin Palace issued a statement, warning that end of neutrality policy is a mistake, because there is no threat to Finland.
Time will show that what the future of crisis in eastern Europe will end up.
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