Finland became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, completing its historic strategic shift by submitting its accession documents to the alliance.
“With receipt of this instrument of accession, we can now declare that Finland is the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the official keeper of the treaty, said.
President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö stated in a statement that the membership is not directed at anyone and does not alter the foundations or objectives of Finland’s foreign and security policy. Rather, it provides Finland with security while also strengthening its international standing and room for maneuver.
Finland and Russia share a 1,340-kilometer (832-mile) eastern border, and Finland formally applied to join NATO in May in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Following the invasion, public support for joining NATO increased to 80%. Finland’s accession to NATO is a setback for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who had previously complained about NATO’s expansion prior to his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s border with NATO member states has now doubled in length.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Russia would be “watching closely” what happened in Finland, calling NATO expansion a “violation of our security and national interests.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured that no NATO troops would be stationed in Finland without the approval of the Helsinki government.
Finland’s membership in NATO provides security for itself while also committing to the security of all NATO member states, making it a trustworthy ally that contributes to regional stability. As a NATO member, Finland will need to be flexible and adaptable. The Finnish Defence Forces are also confronted with new demands and challenges that must be met.
Finland and Sweden both applied to join NATO. However, Sweden’s application has stalled, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accusing Stockholm of embracing Kurdish militants and allowing them to protest in the streets. Hungary has yet to approve Sweden’s membership. Jens Stoltenberg stated that NATO would make Sweden the next member to join.