BRUSSELS ∙ Finland has become the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which ensures mutual military cooperation. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Havisto handed over the official documents to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at a ceremony held at the NATO headquarters.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, Finland decided to change its ‘friendly with all’ stance and join NATO. With this, the NATO-Russia border has doubled. Finland’s decision is a strategic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin blamed NATO expansion for the invasion of Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Finland and announced that Sweden will soon become a NATO member. Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu responded that Finland’s NATO membership would exacerbate the conflict in Ukraine.
English Summary : Finland become NATO member
