Finland wants to join NATO at the same time as Sweden, despite Turkey’s blocking of the Swedish candidacy, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said today.

Finland has made this wish clear to Turkey and Hungary, he noted addressing the Munich Security Conference, referring to the two NATO member states that have yet to ratify the two countries’ accession to the organization.

“We have sent a very clear message to Turkey and Hungary, which has also not yet ratified (our request), that we want to join NATO together and that is in the interest of the whole world,” Marin noted.

“We want to join NATO together with Sweden, at the same time, and this not only because we are good neighbors and partners, but also for very specific issues, NATO’s security planning throughout the North,” the Finnish Prime Minister emphasized in the context of of the Munich Security Conference and noted that with Russia’s attack on Ukraine it “became obvious” that Finland should join NATO. This is an “act of peace” for us, Sana Marin added, and argued that the West should have reacted more forcefully in 2014, with the annexation of Crimea. “If we had all reacted then, the war would not have happened. The most important lesson is ultimately not to be naive,” he said and announced an increase in Finland’s defense spending.

Sana Marin was also asked about her experience when she had to apologize for videos of her private moments. “I got banned for dancing, but I’ve since danced again,” she replied, and her statement was met with warm applause from the audience.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted in early February that the Turkish parliament could ratify Finland’s NATO membership without Sweden’s, while the two countries have submitted a joint request.