Finland and Sweden Do Not Want to Deploy Nuclear Weapons and NATO Bases

Finland’s prime minister says the issue is not part of talks on joining the military alliance Finland does not want NATO to deploy nuclear weapons or military bases on its territory even in case of joining the alliance. Prime Minister Sanna Marin said so in an interview with an Italian newspaper published Thursday. Finland and Sweden submitted formal applications to join NATO on Wednesday. They were spurred to the move by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Marin told Corriere della Sera that the issue of deploying nuclear weapons or opening NATO bases in Finland is not part of Helsinki's negotiations to join the Western military alliance. “I don’t think Finland has any interest in the deployment of nuclear weapons or the opening of NATO bases,” she said. Following Finland’s lead, neighboring Sweden has applied to join NATO whose Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has also said her country does not want permanent NATO bases or nuclear weapons on its territory. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Swedish Prime Minister Andersson are expected to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington later Thursday. Голос Америки