Finland's ambassador recounts wartime history, EU membership and rapid shift to NATO after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine
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Summary
Ambassador Lena Kaisa McCullough described Finland's 20th-century conflicts, membership in the European Union and the rapid public shift in favor of NATO after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which led Finland to join the alliance three years ago, she said.
Lena Kaisa McCullough outlined Finland's modern foreign-policy trajectory, recounting historical experience with larger neighbors and describing how recent events shifted public opinion toward NATO membership. She said Finland was part of the Russian empire until 1917, faced invasions and territorial losses in the 20th century, and used those experiences to orient its foreign policy toward Western institutions.
"We joined the European Union in 1995, and then, 3 years ago, we joined NATO," McCullough said. She described public sentiment as having changed rapidly after Russia's February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine: support for NATO membership, she said, rose from roughly 25% to between 75% and 85% within days.
McCullough framed Finland's NATO membership as both protective and contributory: Finland brings preparedness, resilience and capable forces to the alliance, she said, rather than seeing the country solely as a recipient of security guarantees. She also noted practical measures taken since Russia's actions in Europe, including closing Finland's eastern border, which sharply reduced Russian tourism and had economic effects in border regions.
The ambassador tied Finland's decisions to a history of preserving sovereignty amid difficult geopolitical circumstances; she emphasized that Finland remained an independent, sovereign nation despite wartime losses. No new bilateral agreements or policy changes were announced in the interview.