Finland's NATO membership, Europe, the United States, and Ukraine welcome, Russia reacts

While the NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization has become a 31-member system due to the accession of Finland in Northern Europe, there are welcomed voices from Western member countries and Ukraine, while Russia, which has opposed the expansion of NATO, strongly opposes it and restrains it by taking countermeasures.

Finland, which has changed its policy of military neutrality in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officially joined NATO on the 4th and became the 31st member of NATO.

President Niinistö, who attended the ceremony, said, "In our history, the era of military neutrality is over and a new era begins, and joining NATO will enhance Finland's international standing and expand its strategic horizons."

Regarding Finland's accession to NATO, U.S. President Biden issued a statement welcoming it, and Ukrainian President Zelensky also posted on Twitter that "NATO has become the only effective security security in the region in the midst of Russian aggression."

In response, Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian presidential office, strongly objected to this, saying, "The expansion of NATO will worsen the situation, undermine our security, and threaten Russia's national interests, and we will take countermeasures to ensure security from a tactical and strategic perspective."

Last year, President Putin also warned Finland and other countries about moves toward joining NATO, saying, "If military units and infrastructure are deployed, we must respond like a mirror and pose the same threat," and tensions between the two sides are expected to increase in the future.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno: "Supporting Finland's Decision"

At the morning press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno stated, "I support Finland's decision to apply for NATO membership and pay tribute to Finland's efforts to complete the procedure, from the perspective that cooperation among like-minded countries has become more important than ever amid the increasingly severe international security environment due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other factors."

"As the international community stands at a crossroads in history, we will further strengthen our cooperation with NATO to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law," he said.