This has been the fastest accession process in NATO’s modern history. Finland and Sweden applied for membership last May. In June, at our Summit in Madrid, every Ally invited them to join. And today, less than a year later, we welcome Finland as a full member of our Alliance,” said Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, at the ceremony marking the accession of Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels on Tuesday.
“We welcome Finland to the Alliance!,” said NATO’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, as Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Greens) deposited Finland’s instrument of accession with the government of the United States on Tuesday afternoon at Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
The secretary general then welcomed Finnish President Sauli Niinistö to NATO Headquarters for a flag-raising ceremony to mark the country’s accession to the alliance.
Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Secretary General Stoltenberg thanked President Niinistö for his outstanding leadership and for leading Finland into the most successful alliance in history.
“I am deeply proud to welcome Finland as a full-fledged member of our alliance and I look forward to also welcoming Sweden as soon as possible,” he said. “Joining NATO is good for Finland, it is good for Nordic security and it is good for NATO as a whole,” he added.
The secretary general also noted that Finland’s accession shows the world that President Putin failed to “slam NATO’s door shut.” “Instead of less NATO, he has achieved the opposite; more NATO and our door remains firmly open,” he said.
After becoming a NATO member, President Sauli Niinistö released a statement that was distributed through the Finnish president’s office.
We publish President Niinistö’s statement in full:
Finland has today become a member of the defense alliance NATO. The era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end. A new era begins.
Each country maximizes its own security. So does Finland. At the same time, NATO membership strengthens our international position and room for maneuver. As a partner, we have long actively participated in NATO activities. In the future, Finland will make a contribution to NATO’s collective deterrence and defense.
Membership of the alliance provides security for Finland. Finland, on the other hand, provides security for the alliance. Finland, committed to the security of all NATO member states, will be a reliable ally that strengthens regional stability.
Finland’s membership is not targeted against anyone. Nor does it change the foundations or objectives of Finland’s foreign and security policy. Finland is a stable and predictable Nordic country that seeks peaceful resolution of disputes. The principles and values that are important to Finland will continue to guide our foreign policy also in the future.
As a NATO member, Finland will need readiness for change and adaptability. While membership does not change everything, being an ally requires us to adopt new ways of thinking and some changes in legislation as well. A lot has already been done: for years, we have been committed to develop our NATO compatibility. There is still considerable work ahead to integrate Finland’s defense as part of NATO’s common defense. The Defence Forces are also facing new demands and challenges to which we must respond.
At the same time, it is clear that Finland’s most significant contribution to NATO’s collective deterrence and defense is built on the security and defense of our own territory. In this respect, the Finnish concept of comprehensive security retains its value. But we no longer do this work alone.
Finland applied to join NATO together with Sweden. Finland’s membership is not complete without that of Sweden. The persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue. Similarly, close cooperation continues to build common security and defense across the Nordic region.
