U.S. election not to influence Finland's possible NATO membership: Niinisto

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Wednesday that the election of a new president in the United States does not necessarily impact NATO's decision in accepting Finland as its member if it applies.

"NATO and its memberships are not dependent on any one person, even if he would be the U.S. president," Niinisto told reporters in Brussels during his visit to the NATO Supreme Command.

Niinisto said that Donald Trump was "constructive" in his victory speech, expressing hope that the same approach would continue towards the European Union and NATO.

Niinisto said Trump sounded like "a different person" in comparison with during the campaign.

In a written statement earlier on Wednesday, Niinisto said it is vital that the U.S. commitment to Europe and to the security and stability of the Baltic area would continue.

Niinisto said the tie between Finland and the United States has been the closest ever and it provides the ground for the future.

Both Niinisto and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed confidence that U.S. security guarantees for NATO countries in Europe would continue.

Finland is not a NATO member, but maintains an enhanced companionship with the organization. However, NATO has no security guarantee for Finland as it has for the member countries, according to Niinisto.

Niinisto was the first Finnish president ever to visit the NATO Supreme Command in Belgium. Endit