and that s why we kept on saying, our governments, that we keep the door open for a possibility to apply. what happened, actually, was that in december last year, putin gave a speech saying that no more enlargement of nato. which was a message in part to finland. that was a huge message, because, so far, i had been explaining, many others, that from our own will, we stay militarily unaligned, and we even thought that it will in a way balance the situation in baltic sea area. now russia s saying you can tjoin. that surely changed. what about. 7 well, let s get to that idea, then, of fear. is there a new level of fear in this country of your great neighbour, russia, because of putin s invasion of ukraine?
our armament is, well, quite modern, usa based mostly. so, in a way, we have been very prepared all the time. but the change is, like you said, remarkable. it s remarkable because public opinion has moved so far so fast. just a year ago, polls suggested that 20% to 30% of finns liked the idea ofjoining nato. now it s 75% to 80%. yes. is that based on a new level of fear of neighbouring russia? first of all, even though so many said a year ago that no reason to apply for membership in nato, they were not actually against nato. it was more like a rational or pragmatic opinion. we don t need it now.
was that in december last year, putin gave a speech saying that no more enlargement of nato. which was a message in part to finland. that was a huge message, because, so far, i had been explaining, many others, that from our own will, we stay militarily unaligned, and we even thought that it will in a way balance the situation in baltic sea area. now russia s saying you can tjoin. that surely changed. what about. ? well, let s get to that idea, then, of fear. is there a new level of fear in this country of your great neighbour, russia, because of putin s invasion of ukraine? we have centuries of experience of russians and. ..we are cautious. i guess everything is cautious
so, in a way, we have been very prepared all the time. but the change is, like you said, remarkable. it s remarkable because public opinion has moved so far so fast. just a year ago, polls suggested that 20% to 30% of finns liked the idea ofjoining nato. now it s 75% to 80%. yes. is that based on a new level of fear of neighbouring russia? first of all, even though so many said a year ago that no reason to apply for membership in nato, they were not actually against nato. it was more like a rational or pragmatic opinion. we don t need it now. and that s why we kept on saying, our governments, that we keep the door open for a possibility to apply. what happened, actually,
for a possibility to apply. what happened, actually, was that in december last year, putin gave a speech saying that no more enlargement of nato. which was a message in part to finland. that was a huge message, because, so far, i had been explaining, many others, that from our own will, we stay militarily unaligned, and we even thought that it will in a way balance the situation in baltic sea area. now russia s saying you can tjoin. that surely changed. what about. ? well, let s get to that idea, then, of fear. is there a new level of fear in this country of your great neighbour, russia, because of putin s invasion of ukraine? we have centuries of experience of russians and.