Finland and Sweden can jointly decide whether to join NATO, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Reuters reported.

"Now that Sweden has decided to bring forward somewhat their own parliamentary process, it is possible that the decisions related to joining, if they are taken, will take place on the same days or at least within the same weeks," Haavisto told reporters, commenting on media reports on Monday about the timing of the move

He did not give an exact date for the decision, citing the need to give the parliaments of both countries time to discuss the issue.

Stockholm is conducting a security policy review that includes a position on possible NATO membership, with results due by mid-May. Its eastern neighbor Finland said it plans to decide whether to apply to join the alliance within a few weeks.

Haavisto acknowledged that applying for membership alone would not bring the two Scandinavian countries under NATO Article 5, which ensures that an attack on one ally is an attack on all. "But at the same time NATO member countries have an interest in that no security breaches would take place during the application period," Haavisto said.

According to him, Finland is in talks with various NATO member countries to strengthen joint exercises that can improve the country's security during the transition period.