By Johan Bäckman
Barack Obama brings together Nordic leaders today. At the end of a US-Nordic leaders’ summit in the White House in Washington they will sign a joint declaration to bring Sweden and Finland closer to their Nato-member Nordic neighbours. The initiative was launched by US president Barack Obama. Johan Bäckman, human rights activist from Finland comments on situation
I think it is a very important step in the new policy of United States against Russia. In this case US is trying to create special relations with Nordic countries with non- allied countries such as Finland and Sweden which a not NATO members and USA is trying to create special relations with Finland and Sweden without NATO. The point is that Finland and NATO are developing direct military cooperation with United States of America now. For example, there are American troops in Finland. Problem is that majority of Finns up to 80 % are against membership in NATO. Therefore, the only solution for pro-American Finish government is to create a special direct military alliance with United States. That is happening right now.
Washington is planning a new kind of mini-NATO of Nordic countries against Russia and unfortunately, the USA is using Finnish territory right now for threatening Russia. There is not an interest of Finland. Obviously this is against interests of the Finnish people, majority of them are against membership of Finland in NATO.
USA is using Finnish territory as other territory close to Russia such as Baltic States in order to threaten Russia. I see it as a very primitive provocation against Russia. American forces in Estonia, next to the Russian border is a very unconstructive policy of USA with Russia, And this kind of provocation will not be successful, obviously.
During this spring and summer there were three different military rehearsals on the Finnish territory with a participation of US troops. It caused very serious internal problems. Majority of Finns are not happy with it. Even the parliament was not aware about rehearsal. Parliament was informed later.
It is a not problem of Finland and Russia, it is also internal politics of Finland; it is also political crisis inside Finnish society.
The consequences will be political, for popularity of the ruling party, ministry of foreign affairs and ministry of defense. It is a very serious situation and causing very serious tensions inside Finland
