WASHINGTON — Finnish President Sauli Niinisto met with President Joe Biden in the White House, signaling that he’s looking for a closer relationship with the superpower after Finland’s neighbor Russia invaded Ukraine.
They agreed to start a “clear process” to enhance security and defense cooperation, also involving Nordic partners, Niinisto, 73, told reporters after their talks in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Asked whether that means Finland has nudged toward NATO membership, Niinisto said his country “has moved to a much closer cooperation with the U.S.,” adding that refers to concrete actions “rather than any memberships.”
The debate on joining NATO has intensified in Finland and its bigger Nordic neighbor Sweden. Both countries have seen a historic shift in attitudes to military alignment with NATO since Russia’s attack, with about half the population now supporting entry.
