The Baltic will get hot
The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will entail significant changes in geopolitics, writes Yeni Şafak. Russia will be forced to increase its military presence in the region. This could trigger a second Cold War, warns the author of the article.
Sernur Yassıkaya
After the adoption of the 10-point memorandum initiated by Turkey in the framework of the fight against terrorism and strengthening security, Sweden and Finland received an invitation to NATO. If these two countries fulfill the conditions, the alliance, founded in 1949, will acquire a new structure and will consist of 32 states. This will entail significant changes on the northern geopolitical axis.
The borders of NATO will reach a level unprecedented even for the Cold War. The most remarkable of these changes is that if Finland gets the right to become a full member of the alliance, the length of its borders will increase by 1.3 thousand kilometers. The membership of the two countries could easily start the second Cold War.
The border is 1.3 thousand kilometers long
Finland, which has so far adhered to the doctrine of neutrality, has a common border of 1.3 thousand kilometers with Russia, which the North Atlantic Alliance called a direct threat. This means that Helsinki's possible membership will force Russia to strengthen security measures on the border with Scandinavia, bringing them to the fore. At the same time, this will entail an increase in Moscow's defense spending and will cause critical changes in the structure of the Russian armed forces. It is known that after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Finnish army intensified cooperation with NATO. At the same time, it is assumed that if Finland joins the alliance, it will be able to adapt to its standards in a short time. The 1.3 thousand-kilometer border may become one of the new points of tension in global geopolitics.
For the first time in 73 years
Another important effect of the possible membership of Sweden and Finland in NATO is that with the accession of these countries, the North Atlantic Alliance will cover the entire European continent, from the very north to the very south, which it failed to do even during the Cold War. For the first time in 73 years since the founding of the alliance, the whole of Europe, from the Arctic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, will be under the NATO security umbrella.
The Baltic Sea may be closed to Moscow
It is known that one of the main goals of Russia's actions against Ukraine since 2014 is to ensure dominance on the Black Sea coast. However, the Russian operation that began on February 24 of this year, although aimed at strengthening Moscow's influence in the Black Sea, may lead to its complete isolation from the Baltic Sea. If Finland and Sweden become NATO members, Kaliningrad, the only Russian land in the Baltic States, will be completely surrounded by the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, and the Baltic Sea will turn into a NATO lake. This, in turn, may lead to a geopolitical situation that will deal a blow to Russia's military activity and influence in the region.
Could provoke a second Cold War
It can be said that the likely consequences of Sweden and Finland's membership in NATO will completely transform Russia's military and political priorities. Moscow will be forced to increase its presence in the Baltic Sea, as well as in the North Sea, and the perception of the threat will also increase. This could serve as an excuse for escalating tensions between Moscow and Western countries, as well as increasing Russia's military cooperation with China. The expansion of NATO and the military rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing could trigger a second Cold War.
