Finland will become the 31st NATO member today, marking a historic strategic shift triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Finland’s long eastern border effectively doubles the US-led alliance’s border with Russia.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen, and Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto will travel to Brussels to attend the accession ceremony at NATO Headquarters. The Finnish flag will be hoisted outside the headquarters after the country deposits its formal accession papers to the US State Department.
Finland’s Accession to NATO: A Key Development
Finland and Sweden had taken a position of military non-alignment ever since the Soviet Union tried to invade Finland during the Second World War, following which both opted to maintain cordial relations with Russia.
However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year altered the dynamics of power, pushing the Nordic neighbours to abandon their traditional stance. It raised “security and sovereignty concerns,” prompting both countries to seek protection under NATO’s collective defence guarantee — “an attack against one Ally is an attack against all Allies.”
Finland is set to join NATO as its 31st member on Tuesday, ending its long-standing policy of neutrality following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 4, 2023
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In 2022, after the Ukraine War began, Finland applied for NATO membership in May. By July, NATO signed an accession protocol for Finland to join the alliance, and by the end of September, 28 countries had ratified the protocol.
All 30 members of NATO must vote unanimously to admit a new country into the alliance. However, Turkey and Hungary did not ratify the accession until March 2023. Turkey withheld Finland and Sweden’s application because, despite its continuous demands, both countries were refusing to extradite Kurdish terrorists.
Stoltenberg Welcomes Finland
NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg announced that Finland would formally join the alliance and stated that “this is a historic week” after meeting with the NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Stoltenberg welcomed Finland and said it would be a “good day for Finland’s security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole.”
Stoltenberg claims that Finland’s NATO accession ratification was one of the fastest and most important moments in NATO’s modern history. The allies have also agreed that Sweden’s ratification process will be in everyone’s interest and that “Sweden will also be safer as a result.”
This is an historic week. Tomorrow we will welcome #Finland 🇫🇮 as the 31st member of #NATO, making Finland safer & NATO stronger. pic.twitter.com/DEt2w9clUj
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 3, 2023
Russia’s Response to Accession
In remarks reported by state-owned news agency RIA, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Moscow will respond to Finland’s NATO membership by increasing its military capacity in “western and northwestern regions.” Grushko further declared that in case “of deployment of forces of other NATO members on the territory of Finland, we will take additional steps to ensure Russia’s military security.”
In a similar vein, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said last year that Russia was taking “adequate countermeasures” and plans to form 12 divisions in its western military district.
Sweden Still Awaiting Accession
Although Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership simultaneously, Turkey has stalled the ratification of Sweden’s bid due to the previously mentioned allegations of Stockholm harbouring Kurdish terrorists.
Similarly, Hungary is holding up Sweden’s bid over grievances resulting from Stockholm’s criticism of Hungarian PM Viktor Orban’s policies.
Nonetheless, Stoltenberg affirmed he is “absolutely confident” that Sweden will become a NATO member in the coming months.