Thus, the flag of Finland will be raised today at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, thus formalizing the entry into the ranks of the alliance of the 31st state. The ceremony will take place in the presence of Finnish President Sauli Niniisto and US Secretary of State Anthonty Blinken, notes BBC.
Finland’s accession process took less than a year, and Tuesday’s ceremony coincides with the 74th anniversary of NATO’s founding in 1949. Helsinki will officially join the EU when Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto hands over the accession documents. joining US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The event marks the end of an era of military non-alignment for Finland, which began after the country rejected an attempted invasion by the Soviet Union during World War II and chose to try to maintain friendly relations with neighboring Russia. Incidentally, the emblematic neutrality became known under the term “Finlandization”.
Starting today, in theory, an attack on Finland will attract the intervention of all member states in support of the government in Helsinki, given the famous article five.
The Russian invasion caused an increase in Finnish public opinion in favor of joining NATO, which reached 80%, reports Reuters. Finland’s recent parliamentary elections resulted in the defeat of the Social Democrat-led coalition that led the accession drive, achieving the “fastest accession process” in the organization’s history.
This will make Finland safer and NATO stronger. (…) President Putin’s stated objective of the Nato invasion was to get less NATO along his borders and no more NATO membership in Europe, he is getting the exact opposite.
Author: Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Russia would “closely monitor” what happens in Finland, describing NATO expansion as a “violation of our national security and interests”. At the same time, Russia reacted, stating that it will increase the security of the 1,300 border with Finland.
Sweden’s request has stalled for now, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accusing Stockholm of embracing Kurdish militants and allowing them to demonstrate in the streets. Also, Hungary has not yet approved Sweden’s accession. Stoltenberg said that NATO will ensure that Sweden becomes the next member to join.
