> Russia already saw Finland as part of "the west" > Why try to stay "neutral" with no formal defense pact, when Russia viewed us as hostile anyway? Good poin

> Russia already saw Finland as part of "the west" > Why try to stay "neutral" with no formal defense pact, when Russia viewed us as hostile anyway? Good point, thanks for that perspective. Was there hypothetically any way Russia could signal if it was not the case though?