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Finland’s NATO membership not targeted against anyone — President

According to Sauli Niinisto, Helsinki’s accession to the bloc ended the "era of military non-alignment" in Finland’s history

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto

© AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

STOCKHOLM, April 4. /TASS/. Finland’s accession to NATO is not aimed against any country, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said in a statement regarding the republic’s accession to NATO.

"Finland’s membership [in NATO] is not targeted against anyone. Nor does it change the foundation or objectives of Finland’s foreign and security policy. Finland is a stable and predictable Nordic country that seeks to peaceful resolution of disputes. The principles and values that are important for Finland will continue to guide our foreign policy also in the future," Niinisto said in the statement, published on Twitter on Tuesday.

According to Niinisto, Helsinki’s accession to the bloc ended the "era of military non-alignment" in Finland’s history. He underscored that Finland’s membership in NATO "is not complete without that of Sweden." He also stated that "persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue.".

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