Part 3/15:
Historically, Finland maintained neutrality during the Cold War, but it shifted post-Cold War toward closer integration with the European Union and NATO. Stubb notes that the Finnish populace has increasingly supported NATO membership, with opinion polls showing a surge from about 50% opposition pre-Ukraine war to over 80% support after the conflict began. He attributes this shift to pragmatic assessments: as the geopolitical landscape evolves “things are very pragmatic.” Finnish history — from fighting off Russian invasions in the Winter War to aligning with Western institutions — informs its cautious yet resolute approach to security.