Finland’s President Niinisto: In poker phrases, Putin went ‘all in’ | Russia-Ukraine conflict

Sauli Niinisto discusses Russia’s attainable response following his nation’s pledge to affix NATO.

Finland shares a border with Russia that’s greater than 1,300 kilometres lengthy, so sustaining neutrality within the energy battle between East and West has at all times been central to the nation’s survival.

The Nordic nation had beforehand refused to affix NATO. However following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Helsinki put its historic neutrality apart and formally requested to affix the West’s main army alliance. In response, Moscow warned there could possibly be political and army penalties.

So is a Russian offensive attainable? And would Finland be ready to face it?

The president of Finland, Sauli Niinisto, talks to Al Jazeera.