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France 24
France 24
Politics
FRANCE 24

Finland becomes NATO member as Russia warns of countermeasures

NATO Ukraine European Union Sergei Lavrov Vladimir Putin Bakhmut Kremlin Russia Europe Moscow
Finnish military personnel install Finland's national flag at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on April 4, 2023. © John Thys, AFP

Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, after completing ratification in well under a year – the fastest membership process in the alliance's recent history. As Western allies strengthen ties, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Tuesday that Russia may get “tough” with a hostile European Union. Follow our blog to see how the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).

This live blog is no longer being updated. For more of our coverage on the war in Ukraine, please click here.

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