German leadership more important than ever in Russian crisis, says Finland

German leadership is “more important than ever” in the growing western conflict with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Finnish prime minister has said.

After a three-way cabinet meeting near Berlin on Tuesday, German chancellor Olaf Scholz told his visiting Finnish and Swedish counterparts they could “count on our full support” if they choose to join Nato.

Their meeting comes amid ongoing debate in all three countries: in Finland and Sweden over whether to join the alliance; in Germany over whether it has crossed a line in supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons in its war with Russia.

Finnish leader Sanna Marin said her country had a strong defence capability and, should it decide to join the alliance, was motivated by a “will to contribute to our common security” against Russia, which no longer respects security norms or international law.

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“There is no going back, we see more clearly where Russia wants to take us: a world of spheres of influence where the strongest have the last word,” said Ms Marin alongside Mr Scholz. “German leadership is now more important than ever.”

Nato discussions

Mr Scholz said Germany was following the Nato discussions carefully but that “it is of course Sweden and Finland who will decide” on membership.

“No one can assume that the Russian president and government will not on other occasions break international law with violence,” he added.

In a separate interview with Stern magazine, he said Russia’s efforts to expand its territory by force were a “desperate attempt to re-establish Russia’s old significance in a world that has changed”.

Like Mr Scholz, Ms Marin and Swedish leader Magdalena Andersson are Social Democrats, parties with strong traditions of neutrality and non-alignment. A huge swing of public opinion in both countries in favour of Nato membership, however, has put pressure on them, and the rest of their political establishment to act, and quickly.

Ms Andersson said that, like her party, Sweden’s Riksdag is having a “good and thorough discussion and analysis” of its security options “with all options on the table”.

Sweden had already adapted to new circumstances, she said, mirroring a German boost in defence spending to the Nato goal of 2 per cent of economic output “as soon as is practically possible”.

“While our respective security arrangements are of course decided nationally, we co-ordinate very closely with Finland,’’ she added.

Ms Andersson said her party would make its decision on May 13th. Analysts say it is unlikely that Sweden will vote to stay outside and remain the only Nordic country no longer in Nato.

Join the alliance

If both countries join the alliance Russia has warned that it will strengthen its defences along its new border with Nato. While Russian officials have indicated Moscow could “change the non-nuclear status of the Baltic area”, Finnish officials expect hybrid and cyberattacks from Russia in response to its membership application. On Saturday evening, a Russian aircraft entered Swedish and Danish airspace briefly.

In the last few weeks Kyiv has criticised Berlin for not doing more – in particular supplying heavy weapons. After Berlin changed its mind last week, creating new pressures for Mr Scholz, he has insisted he will not travel to Kyiv after Ukraine said German president Frank Walter Steinmeier was not welcome because of his previous political stance on Russia.

On Monday evening, Mr Scholz told German television that “it won’t work if a country that provides so much military aid, financial aid . . . and then one says, their president cannot come”.

Ukraine’s outspoken ambassador to Berlin, Andrij Melnyk, suggested Mr Scholz should “stop playing the prima donna” and travel to Kyiv – preferably with the promised heavy arms in tow.