Finland Officially Joins NATO Later Today

Tuesday, 4 April 2023 10:37

By Caoimhe Harney

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has changed decades of neutral policy

Finland will today formally join NATO, ending decades of military non-alignment, with the move prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto will attend a flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels, as the Nordic country becomes the 31st member of the alliance.

Sweden is also expected to become a NATO member once objections raised by Turkey and Hungary have been resolved.

During World War II, an outgunned and outmanned Finland defeated an invading Soviet Army, the event known as the Winter War.

However, later Moscow was able to coerce Finland into a Cold War neutrality, which formally ends today.

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has changed decades of policy and public opinion in Helsinki.

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