Finland officially joins NATO with 31 countries Russia's "countermeasures"

Finland of Scandinavia officially joined NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the 4th, and the world's largest military alliance has become a 31-country system. Russia, which has opposed the expansion of NATO, says it will take countermeasures.

Finland officially joined NATO on the 4th with its final procedures at NATO headquarters in Belgium.

A new Finnish flag was raised on NATO grounds to celebrate the new membership.

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland reversed its policy of military neutrality and became the 31st member of NATO.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg emphasized at the ceremony that "the door of NATO is open and no one can close it by force or coercion," bearing in mind Russia's opposition to NATO expansion.

In response, Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian presidential office, said on the 4th, "The expansion of NATO will aggravate the situation, undermine our security, and threaten Russia's national interests.

In addition, Russia has announced that it will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, which is an ally, and Defense Minister Shoigu announced on the 4th that it is conducting training in Russia for units of the Belarusian military that handle short-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

President Putin is scheduled to meet with Belarusian President Lukashenko in the capital Moscow on May 5, and is expected to exchange views on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, further strengthening his restraint on the Western side.

Finnish President Niinistö: "A new era begins"

"In our history, the era of military neutrality is over and a new era begins," Finnish President Niinistö said at the ceremony: "Joining NATO will enhance Finland's international standing and broaden its strategic horizons. As an ally, Finland will contribute to NATO's collective defense and deterrence."

On the other hand, regarding Sweden, which also applied for accession, he stated, "Finland's accession cannot be completed without Sweden, and we will continue to make persistent efforts toward Sweden's early accession," and expressed his intention to urge Turkey and Hungary, which have not recognized Sweden's accession.