Finland joins NATO, Kremlin threatens 'countermeasures'

Helsinki, April 4

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Finland formally joined the NATO military alliance on Tuesday in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drawing a threat from Moscow of “countermeasures”.

Finland’s accession roughly doubles the length of the border that NATO shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto completed the accession process by handing over an official document to US. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels. “We welcome Finland to the alliance,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the end of the brief ceremony.

The event marks the end of an era of military non-alignment for Finland that began after the country repelled an invasion attempt by the Soviet Union during World War Two and opted to try to maintain friendly relations with neighbouring Russia.

The Kremlin said Russia would be forced to take “countermeasures”. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the move raised the prospect of the conflict in Ukraine escalating further.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the NATO expansion was an “encroachment on our security and on national interests”. — Reuters

Raises prospect of ukraine conflict escalating further: Russia

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Helsinki’s move to join the organisation an “encroachment” on Russia’s security
• Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement the move raised the prospect of the Ukraine conflict escalating further