London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 21, 2025

Finland against hosting nuclear weapons (for now), NATO military bases: PM

Finland against hosting nuclear weapons (for now), NATO military bases: PM

Sanna Marin says Helsinki does not want its membership bid to result in a scaled-up military footprint.

Finland is opposed to NATO deploying nuclear weapons or setting up military bases on its territory even if it succeeds in its bid to join the alliance, Prime Minister Sanna Marin has said.

Marin told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview published on Thursday that such moves were not part of Helsinki’s membership negotiations.

“Nor do I think there is any interest in deploying nuclear weapons or opening NATO bases in Finland,” she said on a visit to Rome to meet with her Italian counterpart, Mario Draghi.

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has also said her country does not want permanent NATO bases or nuclear weapons on its territory.




Finland formally applied to join the 30-member alliance on Wednesday, alongside Sweden, signalling an end to decades-long military non-alignment.

The Nordic countries were spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there is no intrinsic threat to Moscow from Sweden and Finland joining NATO but warned that the Kremlin will be forced to respond if the alliance installs military bases or equipment in either country.


Turkey opposed to membership bids


The countries’ NATO membership process is expected to be fast-tracked.

All 30 NATO allies must unanimously approve a new country becoming part of the United States-led alliance.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has expressed opposition but the alliance and Washington have said they do not expect Ankara to stand in the way of the Nordic pair’s way. Ankara has accused Finland and Sweden of harbouring individuals linked to groups it considers to be “terrorist” organisations.

It has also cited the countries’ arms export embargoes on Turkey after its Syria incursion in 2019 as an issue.

Finland’s Marin said she believed the matter could be solved through dialogue.

“I think at this stage it is important to stay calm, to have discussions with Turkey and all other member countries, answering questions that may exist and correcting any misunderstandings,” she told Corriere della Sera.




After meeting Marin on Wednesday, Draghi said Italy supports the NATO bids and is willing to support speeding up NATO’s internal procedures to expedite their membership.

Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Sweden’s Andersson are expected to hold talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington later on Thursday.

Biden has backed the membership bids and pledged US support in case they face any “aggression” while their applications, which could take up to a year to be settled, are considered.

Andersson has warned Sweden will be “in a vulnerable position” while its application is being processed.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
×