For the first time, a majority of people in Finland have voted in favour of the country joining NATO, according to a poll, the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation reported on Monday.
According to the survey, 53% of respondents are in favour of applying for NATO membership, while 28% are against and 19% undecided.
The Taloustutkimus polling institute conducted the survey among nearly 1,400 Finns between February 23 and 25, just before and during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it said.
Public broadcaster Yle on Monday called the result a "historic change in Finns' attitude towards NATO membership."
In a 2017 poll, 19% had been in favour of joining NATO, it said.
Russian threats
Only on Friday, a Russian government spokeswoman had threatened Finland: if the country were to join NATO, it would entail "serious military and political consequences."
Finland has a border with Russia that is more than 1,300 kilometres long.
