Finland has joined the Nato military alliance, dealing a major blow to Russia with a historic realignment of the continent triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. With the handing over of documents, the Nordic nation officially entered the world’s biggest security alliance, doubling its border with Russia.
Finland’s membership represents a major change in Europe’s security landscape. The country adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in the Second World War but its leaders signalled they wanted to join the alliance just months after Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine sent fear through Moscow’s neighbours.
The move is a strategic and political blow to Mr Putin, who has long complained about Nato’s expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow. Russia warned that it would be forced to take “retaliatory measures” to address what it called security threats created by Finland’s membership.
