Finland on 4th April officially became the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), marking a major shift in the security landscape in northeastern Europe.
Key points
- Finland shares 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) border with Russia. The Nordic nation’s accession was sealed during a formal ceremony at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on 4th April 2023.
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg were on hand as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavisto, established Finland’s accession.
About Finland
- Finland declared independence from Russia in 1917 but, following its defeat at the hands of the Soviet Union in World War Two, it had to tolerate strong influence from Moscow until the end of the Cold War.
- Finland is a member of United Nations, Nordic Council, European Union.
- Finland is world’s first country to give its citizens a legal right to broadband internet.
- Finland joined the European Union in 1995 and was one of the first countries to adopt the euro on 1 January 1999.
- Finland shares a border with its three neighbours, Norway, Sweden, and Russia.
- The Baltic Sea is surrounded by nine countries: Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden.
About NATO
- NATO Alliance was created in 1949.
- NATO’s “open door policy” is based upon Article 10 of the Washington Treaty, which states that membership is open to any “European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area”.
- According to the Study, countries seeking NATO membership would have to be able to demonstrate that they have fulfilled certain requirements. These include: a functioning democratic political system based on a market economy; the fair treatment of minority populations; a commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts; the ability and willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations; and
- a commitment to democratic civil-military relations and institutional structures.
