Finland joins NATO, doubling the size of NATO’s border with Russia and provoking threats of “countermeasures” from the Kremlin
Finland joins NATO after applying to join in May 2022. The ceremony, held outside NATO’s Brussels headquarters, raised Finland’s blue and white flag among those of its partners.
NATO is “The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 31 member states – 29 European and two North American.”
It happens that the ceremony fell on NATO’s birthday, the 74th anniversary of the signing of its founding Washington Treaty on 4 April 1949. Interestingly, it coincides with a meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers too.
Before Finland, the last country to join NATO was North Macedonia in 2020.
Finland has doubled the length of NATO’s border with Russia
As predicted, the Kremlin has responded by saying it could be forced to take “countermeasures” to protect its border security.
Finland shares a 1,340km (832-mile) border with Russia, so by joining NATO, it has more than doubled the length of NATO’s border with Russia.
By joining the Treaty, Finland has disrupted years of military nonalignment. This is because Finland undoubtedly fears a possible invasion from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. By joining NATO, Finland gains protection under the organisation’s security umbrella.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v0Jdr_reZQ
Which countries belong to NATO, and when did they join?
The following list provides the country’s names in alphabetical order and the year that they joined NATO.
- ALBANIA (2009)
- BELGIUM (1949)
- BULGARIA (2004)
- CANADA (1949)
- CROATIA (2009)
- CZECHIA (1999)
- DENMARK (1949)
- ESTONIA (2004)
- FINLAND (2023)
- FRANCE (1949)
- GERMANY (1955)
- GREECE (1952)
- HUNGARY (1999)
- ICELAND (1949)
- ITALY (1949)
- LATVIA (2004)
- LITHUANIA (2004)
- LUXEMBOURG (1949)
- MONTENEGRO (2017)
- NETHERLANDS (1949)
- NORTH MACEDONIA (2020)
- NORWAY (1949)
- POLAND (1999)
- PORTUGAL (1949)
- ROMANIA (2004)
- SLOVAKIA (2004)
- SLOVENIA (2004)
- SPAIN (1982)
- TÜRKIYE (1952)
- UNITED KINGDOM (1949)
- UNITED STATES (1949)
Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö insists Finland is not targeting anyone
In a statement, Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö commented: “Finland has today become a member of the defence alliance NATO. The era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end. A new era begins.
Each country maximises its own security. So does Finland
“Each country maximises its own security. So does Finland. At the same time, NATO membership strengthens our international position and room for manoeuvre. 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 defence.
“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.”
31 Allied flags are flying today at #NATO headquarters in Brussels, including a new blue and white addition.
Finland is a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.#WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/b04mNkphVC
— Finland at NATO (@FinMissionNATO) April 4, 2023
Kremlin spokesperson talks of Nato’s “encroachment” and hostility
It goes without saying that the move is a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, strategically and politically.
Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, referred to Finland joining NATO as an “encroachment” on Russia’s security. Peskov added that NATO’s presence is hostile towards Russia.
Finland joins NATO, but what does it actually mean for Finland?
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg insisted to reporters in Brussels that “there will be no NATO troops in Finland without the consent of Finland”.
But Stoltenberg refused to rule out future military exercises in Finland. He emphasises that Russia’s demands would not dictate NATO’s decisions.
https://twitter.com/jensstoltenberg/status/1642867153673109505?s=20
The Ukrainian leadership has been able to fight the Russians and inflict on them devastating & catastrophic strategic losses on the battlefield. With the capture of Kherson the Ukrainians dealt the Russians biggest blow and setback as this was the first greatest strategic loss for Putin and the Russian military. The battle of Bakhmut is the second greatest defeat of the Russian army and at this it does not matter (strategically) to keep defending Bakhmut by the Ukrainians as they had been able to inflict massive casualties on the Wagner militia and the Russian armed forces. These groups can take over the remainder of the city, but the Ukrainians have strategically won this battle too. The Ukrainians have killed tens of thousands of Russian invaders around the city of Bakhmut, which is not strategically as important for the Ukrainians to keep defending at this time.
Within next several weeks, once the wet ground gets dry and with Spring it becomes more solid, the Ukrainians will be able to wage a massive counterattack involving and utilizing the newly delivered western tanks such as Challenger and Leopard 2 tanks and Bradley, Stryker, AMX-10 and Marder infantry fighting vehicles. These battle tanks and vehicles have much more capabilities and superior firepower, high tech options vs. the Russian equipment. If Ukraine will have enough number of the tanks and fighting vehicles, they should be able to start a massive counterattack relatively soon and liberate more of its occupied territories across Donbass, Luhansk and at a later stages Crimea as well.
Right now, the only strategy wanted war criminal Putin utilizes against Ukraine is to keep inflicting massive civilian casualties, terror and fear, destroying Ukrainian civil infrastructure and keep attacking these civilian targets to inflict more terror and leave the Ukrainians without electricity or water supply. It feels like Putin is utilizing the usual Russian military playbook he used in Georgia, Chechnya, Crimea and Syria: win the war by spilling more civilian blood, inflict more civilian terror and keep committing more war crimes to further inflict more fear and terror.
Hopefully the NATO members, the US especially will be able to throw in more weaponry, especially the F-16 fighter jets, hopefully higher range MGM-140 ATACMS rockets, counter rocket C-RAM weapons systems to better fight the Iranian drones and more for air defenses to counter the Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. The advanced Western fighter jets will be a vital tool to win this war, without these fighters the we are looking into a more prolonged war, that might last few more years. The F-16 fighter jets can provide important offensive capabilities and support the ground force efforts.
If Ukraine gets all the weaponry and equipment it needs, the Ukrainian armed forces should be able to clear Donbass and Lugansk within this year, Crimea most likely will also be de-occupied sometime in 2024. However, with the Russian defeat the Western powers should force the Russian Federation to de-occupy and leave all occupied territories of Moldova, Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Samachablo (so called South Ossetia) and Nagorno-Karabakh. Ukraine will be victorious and the Russian imperialism will once again be defeated. With the Ukrainian victory the world will forever destroy Russia’s imperialistic ambitions, Russian nationalism and this will save future generations from future wars and peace will definitely follow.