Helsinki, May 2 (Agency) Finland will decide to apply for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) membership on May 12, local media citing various foreign and security sources. According to the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti, the decision to join will come in two steps on that day, with the nation’s president Sauli Niinisto announcing his approval for joining NATO, followed by parliamentary groups giving their approval for the application. As per Finnish constitution, the president leads the country’s foreign and security policy in cooperation with the government.
“The date has been decided on May 12, when the various parliamentary committees have decided to discuss the foreign and security policy report,” the report said. The decision will be confirmed in a meeting between the president and the government’s key ministers after the president and parliament’s initial announcements, Iltalehti reported. Finland, which shares an over 1,300 km border with Russia, voiced for joining the western defence alliance following Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine on February 24.