NATO's new members with fmr. Pres. of Finland 🇫🇮 Sauli Niinistö | NATO Through Time Podcast Ep. 9

The NATO Through Time podcast dives deep into NATO’s history, reflecting on how the past influences the present – and future – of the longest-lasting alliance in history.

This episode features former President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, who discusses his country’s journey (alongside Sweden) from NATO partner to member.

What is the difference between NATO members and partners?
Why did Finland and Sweden set aside decades of neutrality and apply for NATO membership in 2022?
What can Finland’s experience living next-door to Russia, and its 900,000-strong reserve forces, teach the rest of the Alliance?

In this episode, Sauli Niinistö, who served as President of Finland from 2012 to 2024, talks about Finland’s experience of military non-alignment for more than seven decades, including almost 30 years of NATO partnership. He walks listeners through Finland’s decision to apply for NATO membership alongside Sweden in 2022, and the process of transitioning from NATO partner to NATO member. He also speaks about his role as a Special Adviser to the European Union on strengthening Europe’s civil and military preparedness and readiness, and what Europe needs to do to boost its resilience against growing hybrid threats.


Chapter Markers:

0:00 Introduction
1:53 Early years and perception of NATO in Finland
6:28 Cold War days and "Finlandisation"
10:21 Armed neutrality in Finland
14:55 End of the Cold War
17:17 Building a bridge between NATO and Russia
19:07 Why did Finland become a NATO partner?
24:35 From partner to member
29:41 A smooth road to accession?
34:54 How things have evolved since Finland joined NATO
37:41 Security and resilience in the EU
41:08 Outro + reflections


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