Finland has become the 31st member of the NATO security alliance as its flag will soon be raised at the alliance’s headquarters.

The Finnish foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, handed the accession document to the US secretary of state who declared Finland a member on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

Finland’s accession is a setback for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who repeatedly complained of NATO’s expansion before his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The length of Russia’s border with NATO member states has now doubled.

Finland shares a 1,340-km (832-mile) eastern frontier with Russia and formally applied to join NATO with Sweden last May because of Russia’s war.

Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, warned that Russia would be “watching closely” what happens in Finland, describing NATO’s enlargement as a “violation of our security and our national interests”.

READ ALSO: Finland becomes NATO member Tuesday

Finland and Sweden had previously both adopted a policy of non-alignment.

But after the Ukraine invasion, they chose the protection of NATO’s Article Five, which says an attack on one member is an attack on all.

In effect, it means if Finland were invaded or attacked, all Nato members – including the US – would come to its aid.

Russia’s invasion prompted a surge in Finnish public opinion towards joining NATO to 80% in favour.

“This will make Finland safer and NATO stronger.

“President Putin had a declared goal of the invasion of Ukraine to get less NATO along its borders and no more membership in Europe, he’s getting exactly the opposite,” NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, told reporters on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said he was “tempted to say this is maybe the one thing we can thank Mr Putin for”.

“Because he once again here has precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russia’s aggression,” he said.

Sweden’s application has for now become stuck, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accusing Stockholm of embracing Kurdish militants and allowing them to demonstrate on the streets.

Hungary is also yet to approve Sweden joining.

As he handed over the accession document to Blinken, Finnish Foreign Minister said he had a very important initial task.

“The task is to give to you for the deposit also our ratification for Swedish membership,” he added.

Stoltenberg said earlier NATO would ensure Sweden would become the next member to join.

The Star