COPENHAGEN: Finnish President Sauli Niinistö plans to present his position on possible Nato membership for his country by May 12 at the latest, he told the Ilta-Sanomat newspaper on Saturday.
The Finnish parliamentary groups are meeting on May 12, and two days later, the Social Democratic party of Prime Minister Sanna Marin also intends to present its position.
A decision on a possible application for Nato membership will then be made jointly by the president and the government.
Both Niinistö and Marin have not yet revealed their views over the Nato debate, reignited by the war in Ukraine. However, there are many indications that Finland could apply for membership in the coming weeks.
Finland is in close touch with neighbour Sweden as both decide whether or not to join Nato in the wake of Russia's war of Ukraine.
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Friday after a meeting with his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde in Helsinki that it is very important that the two countries take decisions "in the same direction and in the same time frame."
Meanwhile, Finland, which is considering joining Nato, welcomed an alliance vow to protect the Nordic country from any Russian interference during its potential application process.
Finland and Sweden, both militarily non-aligned, are debating whether to seek Nato membership as a deterrent against potential Russian aggression in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
But the countries' leaders have acknowledged the Nordic states could be left open to Russian cyberattacks or territorial violations in the months before a bid is ratified.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg, speaking to reporters in Brussels on Thursday, said he was "certain that we will be able to find arrangements for that interim period between (the time when) Finland and Sweden apply and until the formal ratification is finalised." - dpa
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