Finland is set to officially file a NATO membership request early next week, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told Japan’s NHK television in an interview on Friday.
"If the parliament approves, we will do it in the middle of the next week. Sweden is to consider the issue within a similar timeframe," he said.
In his words, Finland is ready for any developments on its border with Russia, but wants the situation in the area to remain calm. He also described Russia as his country’s "important neighbor", adding that bilateral relations were strained recently over the situation around Ukraine.
