Finland Officially Becomes 31st Member of NATO
12:56 GMT 04.04.2023 (Updated: 13:35 GMT 04.04.2023)
© Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on Tuesday handed over the document on the country's accession to NATO, making it the 31 member of the alliance.
The ceremony was broadcasted on the NATO website.
According to the North Atlantic Treaty, the documents on the accession of new members are stored in the United States.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Finland’s official accession into NATO on Tuesday.
"We're really thrilled to have Finland as the 31st member of this alliance. So this is an important day, on an important day already in NATO's history," Blinken said at a joint press briefing with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels.
Stoltenberg had noted that the North Atlantic Treaty, the founding act of the alliance, was signed 74 years ago on April 4, 1949.
Blinken added that NATO members would continue to reaffirm political and practical support for Ukraine at the upcoming summit in Vilnius in July.
"Sweden fulfilled all the necessary condition for joining NATO just like Finland, so there should not be any obstacle in its way to join the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg said. "My message is and has been also in my meetings in Ankara that not only Finland but also Sweden has delivered on the commitments they have made under that trilateral agreement."
Finland has become a part of the NATO article 5 from Tuesday and now can participate in the alliance’s decision-making, Stoltenberg added.
"Today Finland will become a full member of the alliance and that means that from today on Finland will participate in all NATO structures military and civilian activities and also be at the table in all NATO meetings and also have a vote … Most importantly what happens from today is that Finland will be covered by NATO … security guarantees, our Article 5, that's says that an attack in one ally will be regarded as an attack on all,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference.
Meanwhile, the presidential office of Finland stated on Tuesday that the country's membership in NATO is not targeted against anyone.
"Finland’s membership is not targeted against anyone. Nor does it change the foundations or objectives of Finland’s foreign and security policy. Finland is a stable and predictable Nordic country that seeks peaceful resolution of disputes," the office said in a statement.
4 April 2023, 10:49 GMT
Finland and Sweden applied to become NATO members in May 2022, three months after Russia started its special military operation in Ukraine. Turkey and Hungary have been the only NATO countries delaying the ratification process over security concerns, but they eventually softened their stance on Finland's accession earlier this March.
