NATO welcomes Finland as a member, raising its flag in a symbol of the power shift spurred by the war.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
BRUSSELS — Finland’s flag was raised on Tuesday afternoon at NATO headquarters, a deeply symbolic moment marking the Nordic nation’s official welcome into the group and the shifting power calculations as the West shores up its allegiances in response to the war in Ukraine.
President Sauli Niinisto of Finland attended the ceremony, on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 74th anniversary, in what amounts to a strategic defeat for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who has made blocking NATO expansion a goal of his leadership.NATO’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said that Finland was now “a full-fledged member, we are removing the room for miscalculation in Moscow about NATO’s readiness to protect Finland, and that makes Finland safer and stronger, and all of us safer.”
Mr. Niinisto said: “It is a great day for Finland.” History has many important moments, he added, but “this is the day most historic to us and to our partners.” Russia tried to restrict Finland’s freedom of choice and “tried to create a sphere around them,” he said. “We are not a sphere.”
With Finland’s membership unlocked by Turkey’s vote last week to ratify its entry, NATO’s border with Russia is doubling and the alliance has gained access to a strong military with a deep history of countering its bigger neighbor.
In a statement, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken welcomed the new member and said, “Finland is stronger and safer within the alliance, and the alliance is stronger and safer with Finland as its ally.”
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, Mr. Niinisto judged quickly that Finland’s best protection was to drop its military nonalignment and apply to join NATO.
The ceremony on Tuesday came as foreign ministers from the alliance were gathering in Brussels for a two-day meeting. Finland’s foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, will attend the meeting — Finland’s first as a full-fledged member — although many details about how his country, which shares an 830-mile border with Russia, will integrate into the alliance are yet to be determined.
A new Finnish government, still to be negotiated after an election on Sunday, will have to decide whether Finland will accept foreign troops on its soil, for example, or even nuclear weapons belonging to allies.
Mr. Niniisto’s judgment was influential for a more hesitant Sweden, which has also applied to join. Sweden was meant to join “hand in hand” with Finland, but that has been left undone as Turkey still objects to Sweden’s membership and Hungary, too, is stalling ratification.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who is up for re-election on May 14, continues to express his displeasure with the depth of Sweden’s commitment to fighting terrorism — in particular, those whom Mr. Erdogan regards as terrorists, including certain Kurds and others he believes supported the 2016 coup attempt against him. Hungary has also blocked Sweden’s entry.
Sweden’s foreign minister, Tobias Billstrom, will also attend this week’s meetings in Brussels nonetheless.
At the ceremony on Tuesday, Mr. Stoltenberg and Mr. Niinisto said they would continue to press Turkey and Hungary to ratify membership for Sweden as soon as possible. Mr. Blinken urged them “to ratify the accession protocols for Sweden without delay, so we can welcome Sweden into the alliance as soon as possible.”
The summit will focus on Ukraine and how to accelerate the country’s transition to NATO-compatible military equipment and ammunition. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will also be there.
The alliance will convene a NATO-Ukraine Commission, a more formal meeting previously blocked by Hungary. That will discuss how to help Ukraine wage a counteroffensive against Russian troops, expected to begin in late spring or early summer, and how to intensify Ukraine’s partnership with NATO in the future, Mr. Stoltenberg, said.
That includes looking not just at Ukraine’s immediate defense needs against Russian forces, but also how to help Kyiv modernize and align its military with NATO standards and doctrines.
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Putin is a genius ... /s
Take that, Putin!
Putin's worst nightmare comes true. Too bad.
Erdogan is doing everything he can to deflect from his horrible leadership. 55% inflation, the earthquakes that devasted Turkey, and the information that came out of how his administration granted leave from building codes that resulted in thousands of deaths.
I certainly hope that he loses the election and Turkey can once again regain the path of freedom which would vote to allow Sweden into NATO.
Absolutely. Maybe Turkey can return to a Democratic country
Would love to hear Colour’s comments here.
Actually, would love to hear any of her thoughts…her voice is missed…does anyone hereabouts know why she has been absent? None of my business, so let me just wish her and her boyz peace.
Doesn't care for the partisan back and forth political bullshit last l knew. She likes actual discussions/debate.
Then we are both culpable.
My apologies to her if that the case.
Always enjoyed our conversations and our mutual understanding to agree to disagree..
Actually, I think his worst nightmare being closer to reality will be when Sweden is finally admitted to NATO. Just a matter of time, which Putin may be running short on more and more.
She just got tired of the constant negativity of some members.
Oh, the irony !
Hoist by his own petard.
On top of this the Nordic nations are entering a treaty to combine their air forces into one command.
smart move on their part. I guess it's time for russia to move all of their naval bases to the pacific side now.
Great, another NATO country to prop up.
.
.
The price of peace and freedom can come at a heavy cost and is what we must pay....as leader of the free world.
A total lack of understanding seems to be prevalent in your comments.
Finland doesn't need anyone to prop them up. They have a very modern well armed and well-funded military.
They have been on the front line confronting Russia for decades. check the ''Winter War''.
They are, for a country of just over five million very capable of waging war and defending themselves and will be a great anchor for NATO overall and especially in the northern area NATO in which they share a 800 plus mile border with Russia.
Their air force uses 62 F 18 hornets and they have 64 F 35s on order from the US. Additionally the nordic countries, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark are combining their airforces under one command to include fighter jets, helicopters, transports, trainers and fuel tankers.
Anyone going up against Finland's troops IN Finland is looking for a world of hurt. They know cold weather combat more than any other country.
We had a heavy Finnish population in our area growing up and tales of the Winter War were as prevalent as those of Paul Bunyan. How many fighting forces are ALL REQUIRED to train on skis? The Finnish used what was called "motti" - basically a plan to outmaneuver the Soviet heavy machinery in the snow and narrow roads, break convoys into bitesize pieces and surround them to cut them off and let them starve and freeze in temps that got as cold as -45F.
Finland did in the end lose 9% of it's territory, but the Soviets took heavy casualties. After a 100 days of fighting 70,000 Finnish fighters had been killed or wounded, while 350,000 Soviets walked away maimed, or not at all. Sisu!
And the Finns are the inventor of the Molotov cocktail and used it to great advantage against the Russians in the Winter War.
In the Winter War the Finns were much more adept at fighting in the cold than the Russians. The Finns facing the firepower of arty and tanks etc used skies, camo, sleds, and reindeer to more behind, in back of, and alone side the Russians and the Russians never suspected until they were ambushed. The Sami (indigenous people of nordic countries) were accomplished, skiers and reindeer herders and fought with the Finns.
Another point is that the Finn snipers destroyed whole units of Russians.
I've seen the photo online of the ski mounted Finnish troops alongside reindeer. The Finns were outnumbered 4 to 1 against the Russians. Stalin thought he could intimidate the Finns into surrender in under 2 weeks and started the war with a false flag operation in Mainila. I guess Putin never studied military history...
We've talked about the Sami before. I'm obsessed with their history. My great grandfather (mother's side) said we may have Sami in the family tree, but he wasn't always truthful about stuff like that. LOL.
Check out the Laplan-Yukon Relief Expedition - I can only find humor in the idiocy of Rev Sheldon Jackson and his quest to feed the poor Alaskan indigenous. (Bronx cheer here) Another case of the religious butting into indigenous people's affairs and wasting tax payers money.
The Sami sent representatives to join the NA's in NDAPL in SD as did the Maori.
The Laplan-Yukon venture is interesting as in foolish if nothing else. I noticed that there are Alaska Natives with Sami blood from that. There are a few Sami in northern MN along with a fairly large Finnish population.
Off topic but speaking of Sami, Maori, and NA's here is a video with all three groups represented.
Every single person in Finland does military training and everyone from 18 to 60 years of age is in the reserves.
The only civilians are children and the 'very old'.
Can quote all the facts and figures in the world..
What it doesn't take into account is the fighting spirit of its people, as Putin has found out in Ukraine..and hasn't someone got borscht on their face..🇺🇦
As stated above, Finland kicked the Soviet's butt so bad in the Winter War of 1939 to 1940 and the followin Continuation War of 1940 to 1944. Stalin was so shocked and so impressed with the Finns that Finland was the only German aligned country he actually signed a armistice/peace treaty with. Stalin never forgot or forgave but he did not go up against Finland post war.
Betcha Vlad didn't see this coming and no one in his staff ever said this was remotely possible. I wonder who is next to accidently fall out a window.
I keep wondering how long much longer it will be before they try to "cancel" him. He must have a full time food inspector.
Yeah, I hear his favorite chef the Wagner oligarch may not exactly be in Vicious Vlad's good graces much any more. Might come from that direction.
There are good folks in Arkansas, Trout and Mr. Giggles and assorted family members and an acquaintance of mine that lives in the most liberal city in Arkansas, Eureka Springs, famous for its art scene, food, music, and some interesting architecture. He is a musician, author, songwriter, and much more. Here is a John Two Hawks with Nightwish performing in Helsinki, Finland (so the comment isn't off-topic) performing, ''Creek Mary's Blood''...A mix of Native, Rock, folk, and metal.
Thanks Kavika, completely agree. Too many that have neither been there are comfortable binning folks there into negative behavior into buckets.
Thank-you, Kav