NATO warships arrive at Finnish port for training exercises as Russian threat grows

NATO warships on Monday arrived in southwestern Finnish port of Turku to train with Baltic country’s naval forces. As threat of Russian aggression spilling westwards continues to alarm west, three frigates of Norrn Alliance reached Finland to undergo training with two minehunters from Finland's coastal fleet. NATO warships include Latvia’s minelayer LVNS Virsaitis and Estonia’s minehunters ENS Sakala and Dutch HNLMS Schiedam.

Notably, deployment came after Helsinki expressed its willingness to apply for NATO membership as soon as May, as per local media reports. two-day exercise, set to commence on April 28, will prepare Finnish ships to take part in NATO response forces in 2022 and focus on "mine countermeasures and working in a multinational framework", according to a statement by country’s defence ministry.

Finland, along with neighbouring Sweden, has been closely allied with NATO but has shied away from formally joining 30-member alliance. However, as Russia launched its military offensive against Ukraine, countries were alarmed. Presently, leers of both countries have been holding several discussions with NATO members. This has prompted a stark retaliation from Russian Federation which has asked for security guarantees from both countries. 

"NATO and Finland share same interests in maintaining conditions for international order, safe sea lines and freedom of navigation in Baltic Sea," alliance said in statement. 

Finland, Sweden to join NATO

Finland and Sweden have jointly agreed to forward ir applications to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as soon as May. According to local media reports from Nordic countries, both governments have "indicated ir willingness to join" intergovernmental military alliance on same day. A Finnish publication Iltalehti on Monday said that applications should be published in week beginning from May 16.

Meanwhile, Swedish daily Expressen cited its government sources, saying that prime ministers of both Nordic nations have discussed change in European "security landscape" since Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, which has led to "dramatically shaped mindsets" in both countries.

"Information is correct and how y should be an agreement between Sweden and Finland that any applications submitted in that particular week, which also coincides with Finland state visit to Sweden," Expressen reported. state visit refers to Finnish President Sauli Niinisto's trip to Stockholm scheduled for May 17-18.

(Image: NATO)