Finland’s former Chief of Defence, Admiral Jan Klenberg, is in favour of Finnish membership in NATO.
Speaking in the community of Ylihärmä on Sunday, Klenberg said that Finland should join the alliance in the near future.
According to Klenberg, it would be "overwhelming" for Finland to make the realistic investments it needs in its defence on its own and with the current level of spending.
"The cancellation of the fighter helicopters for the army was a clear symptom of this", Klenberg said in his speech.
The constant shortage of funds for the Defence Forces is Klenberg’s main reason for supporting NATO.
"We must defend the whole country and the whole people. The costs of the acquisition and maintenance of the needed modern equipment, and those of training, are rising sharply and becoming excessive for a small country. Giving up anti-personnel land mines will only exacerbate the situation."
In Klenberg’s opinion, membership in NATO would not increase defence spending "as a whole".
"The support that would come from the alliance would exceed the small ‘membership fee costs’ that would arise from becoming a member. Our country’s defence would become stronger."
The government is currently preparing a new report on security and defence policy.
Already in the spring, the government decided that military non-alignment would be the basis of the report. NATO membership is set as an option for the future.
Admiral Klenberg served as Finland’s Chief of Defence in 1990 - 1994.
