Finland today became the thirty-first full member of NATO after completing the entry process requested as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which implies that the country is covered by article 5 of collective defense of the Alliance.
“By receiving this instrument of ratification, I declare that Finland is the thirty-first member of the North Atlantic Treaty”he claimed US Secretary of State Antony Blinkenduring a ceremony at NATO headquarters.
In that act, the Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka HaavistoeHe delivered the last document that was missing to complete the accession process of his country.
Previously, Blinken confirmed that he had received the same document from Turkey, the last ally to ratify Finland’s entry.
Traditionally, a country’s access to NATO occurs by depositing all the ratification instruments with the US State Department, which is the custodian of the Washington Treaty, the foundation of the Alliance, but on this occasion the allies have decided that that delivery will be made in the hands of its highest representative, Blinken.
In that way, Finland’s formal entry into NATO has coincided with the day the Alliance turns 74 and in which, in addition, the allied foreign ministers begin a two-day meeting in Brussels.
Finland’s entry into the Alliance has been the fastest in the organization’s modern history, Stoltenberg recalled.
“We don’t want others to tell us what we can and can’t do”indicated for his part the Presidente finlandés, Sauli Niinistöin a statement to the press together with the NATO Secretary General.
Finland and Sweden both applied to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but Hungary and Turkey have so far not ratified Sweden’s membership.
“Now that we are members of NATO, we have a very important task: to deliver the instrument of ratification from Sweden”dijo Haavisto a Blinken.
The raising of the Finnish flag along with those of the other 30 allies will put the finishing touch to the welcoming ceremony for that country to NATO.
