Finland has officially joined the NATO alliance, making its 31st member after nearly a year-long wait of overcoming Turkey's objections. 

A ceremony was broadcasted on the NATO website on Tuesday during which Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto handed over the document on the country's accession to NATO.

“Finland is safer and NATO is stronger with Finland as an ally” - @NATO General Secretary @jensstoltenberg

“This is the beginning of a new era in Finnish history” - Finland’s President @niinisto pic.twitter.com/kOH7gWVWnF

— Minna Ålander 🌻 (@minna_alander) April 4, 2023

As per NATO regulations, the documents on the accession of new member-states are stored in the US.

Last steps before joining #NATO.

FM @Haavisto signed Finland’s instrument of accession to NATO.
#FinlandNATO pic.twitter.com/lRqOIVRDZ1

— Finland at NATO (@FinMissionNATO) April 4, 2023

"Today Finland will become a full member of the alliance and that means that from today on Finland will participate in all NATO structures military and civilian activities and also be at the table in all NATO meetings and also have a vote … Most importantly what happens from today is that Finland will be covered by NATO … security guarantees, our Article 5, that says that an attack in one ally will be regarded as an attack on all,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference.

BREAKING:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomes Finland to its first official summit is a NATO member state.

🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/82v2cJ2hoR

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 4, 2023

Earlier in the day, the presidential office of Finland stated that the country's ascension to NATO is unrelated to third countries.

On another note, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen said upon his arrival at today's NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels that he is certain NATO will have an active role to play in the alliance. 

"What kind of role we will have in the future — that's the next thing to discuss, but I am sure that Finland will be an active NATO member," the minister said when asked whether Finland will allow NATO troops to deploy in the country.

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Finland had applied to join NATO on April 4, 2022, along with Sweden, just two months after the conflict in Ukraine broke out.

Although Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said that Finland joining NATO "would not be against anyone," the move promises to be heavily provoking for the Russian side. 

Russia sees NATO expansion as a threat, especially since over the years the Cold War-era alliance expanded eastward, putting Russian interests at risk. 

Ukraine formally applied to join NATO in September 2022, but the alliance has not taken any official steps in response.

Finland's NATO accession infringes Russia's security: Kremlin

In the same context, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Finland's accession to NATO is another aggravation of the situation, pointing out that Moscow considers the expansion of the alliance an infringement on its security.

"The Kremlin believes that this is another aggravation of the situation. The expansion of NATO is an infringement on our security and Russia's national interests," Peskov told a briefing.

The expansion of NATO forces Russia to take countermeasures to ensure its own security, the Russian diplomat underlined.

"Naturally, this forces us to take countermeasures to ensure our own security both tactically and strategically," he said.

According to Peskov, the situation with Finland's accession to NATO is fundamentally different from the problem with Ukraine, as this country has never had an anti-Russian rhetoric.

"The situation with Finland, of course, is radically different from the situation with Ukraine, because, firstly, Finland has never had anti-Russian rhetoric, and we have had no disputes with Finland. With Ukraine, the situation is the opposite and potentially much more dangerous," the Kremlin spokesperson explained.

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