On NATO’s 74th anniversary, Finland officially becomes a member of the Atlantic Alliance.
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto completed the accession process on Tuesday along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the alliance headquarters in Brussels.
In its first appearance as the 31st member of NATO, Finland ratified Sweden’s membership.
“Finland has today joined the NATO Defense Alliance. The era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end. A new era is dawning,” declared the Finnish Presidency.in a statement.
“Each country maximizes its own security. Finland too. At the same time, joining NATO strengthens our international position” and gives “room to maneuver”, the note also states. “As a partner, we have been actively participating in NATO activities for a long time. In the future, Finland will contribute to the collective deterrence and defense of NATO,” emphasized the Finnish Presidency.
-Sauli Niinistö (@niinisto) April 4, 2023
It is about “a great day for Finland and for NATO”, declared the Finnish president, Sauli Niinistö, next to Stoltenberg.
“President Putin wanted to close the door on NATO. Today we are showing the world that he has failed, that aggression and intimidation don’t work,” Stoltenberg said.
Updated
Source: DN
