Iltalehti: Finland will announce its decision to join NATO on May 12

First, the president of the country will speak out in favor of joining the North Atlantic Alliance, and then the parliamentary parties will agree with his position, the publication clarifies.

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö will announce the decision to join NATO on 12 May. This is reported by the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.

“The President of the Republic wants all parliamentary groups to know his public position on NATO at the same time. The date was set for May 12, when various parliamentary committees decided to discuss the report on foreign and security policy," the newspaper writes, citing sources.

According to the newspaper, Helsinki's decision to apply to join the North Atlantic Alliance will be made on May 12 in two stages: first, the President of Finland will speak out in support of joining NATO, and then the parliamentary parties will agree with his position. Prime Minister Sanna Marin will also approve a decision on this issue on May 12.

Earlier, Life wrote that Finland and Sweden would apply to NATO on May 16-20. According to Iltalehti, Finnish leader Sauli Niinistö is scheduled to visit Stockholm on May 17-18 at the invitation of King Carl XVI Gustaf.