Finns' support for their country's membership in NATO reached a new historic high on Monday after Russia invaded Ukraine, exceeding 60% for the first time according to a poll.
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Among those polled, 62% say they are in favor of joining the Western military alliance, while only 16% are opposed to it and 21% are undecided, according to this survey by the Taloustutkimus Institute.
Two weeks ago, the same poll had for the first time in the history of the Nordic country given an absolute majority (53%) in favor of joining NATO, a jump of nearly 25 points after the attack on Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin.
Despite this unprecedented push, the Finnish executive reiterated - like neighboring Sweden - that it had no plans for immediate membership, even if significant consultations with political forces have taken place in recent days.
Moscow has been threatening Helsinki and Stockholm for years with "
serious political and military consequences
" if they join, a warning repeated again this weekend.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö had called on his fellow citizens to keep "
a cool head
" on the issue.
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A report on the advantages and disadvantages of membership is being prepared and the decision will ultimately be up to Parliament, he stressed.
In Sweden public opinion also suddenly swung towards a majority in favor of membership.
The Finnish survey was carried out on the internet with a representative quota of 1,378 adults, between March 9 and 11, with a margin of error of 2.5 points.
Sweden and Finland are officially non-aligned, although both NATO partners since the mid-1990s and having turned the page on their neutrality at the end of the Cold War.