UK would do 'whatever we need to to defend Finland and Sweden'

[Celerity]

UK defence minister Ben Wallace has once again pledged the UK's support in the event of an attack on Sweden or Finland.

https://www.thelocal.se/20220505/uk-would-do-whatever-we-need-to-to-defend-finland-and-sweden/


UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace (left) walks with Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen at the Arrow 22 exercise in Kankaanpaeae. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva / AFP

During a visit to the “Arrow 2022” military exercise in Kankaanpaa, in the southwest of Finland, Wallace said that both Sweden and Finland could rely on the support of the UK should Russia mount an attack, regardless of the whether they were on the way to becoming Nato members or not.

“I cannot conceive a time that we wouldn’t come to support Finland and Sweden, no matter where they were with the Nato debate or where they are with the agreements and I think that is what really binds us,” he told journalists. “We would do whatever we need to, to support Finland.”

The statement came after Finland’s prime minister Sanna marin told a joint press conference with Nordic leaders in Copenhagen that her country was holding talks with key members of the Nato alliance to obtain security guarantees during the application period, which could last several months,

According to the Finnish media, the Finnish government’s decision on Nato membership could be made in the next few days. The latest polls suggest a large majority of Finnish MPs and the public are in favour of joining the Atlantic Alliance, a change in opinion that has come about since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is to announce his personal stance on the issue on May 12.

snip

[The Unmitigated Gall]

1. Good to see this. Also to see England

Forming closer defense ties with Japan. Honestly it may have to be England and the Commonwealth defending Democracy around the world if repuke fascists take down the US.

[Clash City Rocker]

2. And they seem to be shoe-ins for NATO membership, right?

Just their geographic location would seem to be a huge bonus, from a military perspective.

Funny that Putin has done so much to boost NATO, at a time when some were questioning its usefulness. The invasion of Ukraine has really damaged his political position in so many ways. There was a time I thought he was evil but smart. Now I just think he’s evil.

[Celerity]

4. yes we are shoe-ins (I am in Sweden)

There was a time I thought he was evil but smart. Now I just think he’s evil.

I am the same. Something happened to him (serious illness/illnesses would be my guess), and he has completely lost the plot. He is the most dangerous person on the planet. Trump, if he somehow nightmarishly wins again, would give him a run for his money, especially with a Rethug Congress.

[demigoddess]

7. I think Putin took a look at drumpf and thought that the US would not oppose him

if he invaded Ukraine etc and snatched up a few countries. He underestimated Ukraine and its friends.

[Raine]

3. Good 👍 nt

[erronis]

5. I don't trust the UK under BoJo to do anything to hurt his relations with Putin.

I don't trust anyone in the UK that supported brexit. Or anyone in the US that supported trump.

russia and putin/oligarchs have funded much of the discord in the western world.

[Celerity]

6. I hate BoJo, detest the Tories, and the Leavers can sod the fuck off, but Johnson is more hostile

to Putin than Trump and the many of the Rethugs. Not as hostile as I wish, not even close, but still, no comparison in terms of sycophancy. Zero chance a Trump administration with or without a Rethug Congress would be supportive of Sweden and Finland and Nato itself.

I also am a British citizen (US, by birth, and Swedish (I live in Stockholm at present) as well) who grew up in west London (South Kensington), btw.

[erronis]

8. Thanks for your multiple perspectives - you have a rare view on this situation.

I'd be happy to give Johnson some credit for not being under the influence of the russian money flooding London. I definitely think he is a much more intelligent chump than our trump, but then that's not saying much.

It might be fun to be around when the repugs get control and can finally withdraw from all of our international obligations. I doubt any of them (other than the Koch-style moneybags) have thought about what that will do to the run-of-the-mill MAGAT.