Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) NATO Foreign ministerial start their meeting by congratulating Finland to join NATO as its 31st member, in an event in Brussels. It takes 75 years for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to have 31 members, but a long journey.
After Finland officially joined NATO as its 31st member the blue-and-white flag of the Nordic nation was raised outside NATO’s offices in Brussels on the 4th of April, alongside those of its Western allies.
The ceremony on Tuesday signified a historic realignment of Europe’s security landscape, and attendees included the Finnish president, foreign, and defense ministries as well as the US Secretary of state, Antony Blinken.
31 flags flying in unison as a sign of our cohesion and support. The Washington Treaty was signed on this day, April 4, 1949, “to create a shield against aggression and the fear of aggression.” This great Alliance has protected our countries for almost 75 years. Additionally, it still does so today. Said SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG at NATO in Brussels
The blue and withe flag is from Finland and become 31 NATOs member, Picture from NATO web
He added the conflict is back in Europe. Finland has also made the decision to join NATO and become a member of the most effective alliance in history. I look forward also to welcoming Sweden into the Alliance as soon as possible. This sends a strong message that each country has the freedom to follow its own course and that no one has the authority to use coercion or force to close NATO’s door.
Mr. Stoltenberg said our shared principles of liberty, democracy, and the rule of law define NATO as a community. So together, we uphold, safeguard, and support one another. One for all, and all for one.
Mentioned NATO Sectary General, Therefore, nothing should prevent or stand in the way of Sweden’s ultimate ratification as a member. This is a top priority for the Alliance. This is significant to all the Allies concur that we should work to complete Sweden’s accession as quickly as possible.
Finland President Sauli Niinistö, said, “I’m happy to be here at NATO in this wonderful and important day”. Your excellent leadership and your tireless efforts in making today feasible. Finland’s membership “is not complete without that of Sweden,” according to Niinistö, who also stated that “persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue.”
Finland’s president, Sauli Niinistö said, “Russia has been repeatedly to encircle them, but we are not to repeat.” He said, On December 21, President Putin addressed it very clearly, and that was one of the factors contributing to the debate in Finland. We do not want others to tell us what we should and should not do, or vice versa. The fact that the globe is more stable makes me believe that Finns themselves feel safer.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated on Tuesday that Helsinki’s acceptance of Nato was an “encroachment on our security and on Russia’s national interests,” and that Moscow would carefully monitor any future deployments of Nato forces there. he added
The threats to our national security posed by Finland’s NATO membership are compelled to us. The foreign ministry declared that “the Russian Federation will be compelled to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finland’s accession to Nato.”
U. S Secretary stated Antony Blinken said this is a historic day, and “welcome Finland to its place at the table and into the Alliance”, as Secretary General Stoltenberg mentioned earlier. And I’m tempted to say that Mr. Putin deserves some credit for precipitating something he claims to want to stop here; namely, that many nations now feel they need to step up their defense efforts and ensure that they are able to thwart future Russian aggression.
The stakes for our alliance, for the transatlantic alliance, for Ukraine, and, in fact, for people all over the globe who are suffering many of the effects of Russia’s aggression after more than a year, could not be higher. He added
Mr. Blinken said the stakes for our partnership couldn’t be greater now that Russia has been waging an aggressive war against Ukraine for more than a year. These stakes apply to the transatlantic alliance, Ukraine, and people all over the world who are suffering many of the effects of this aggression.
According to U. S secretary stated, our Alliance is much more powerful than that. And: “I can state that the agreement is now in effect as of the deposit of Turkey’s Instrument of Ratification of Finland’s Accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Turkiye Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu express, it is a historic day for NATO because it is the anniversary of the Alliance’s founding, which took place precisely 74 years ago today. And “I’m delighted to present the instrument of ratification to you today. Additionally, I’d like to formally greet Finland as a new ally. Additionally, our Alliance with is much stronger with Finland. And I want to thank you for your endeavors toward that goal as well.”
Sweden’s application is still being held up by Turkiye and Hungary, despite Turkey last week becoming the final NATO state to approve Finland’s. Budapest has “grievances” over Sweden’s criticism of Hungary’s rule of law, while Ankara charges Stockholm of providing sanctuary to Kurdish militants.
Also congratulating Finland was the president of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that “in the face of Russian aggression, the alliance became the only effective guarantee of security in the region,” adding that Finland joined on the 74th anniversary of Nato’s foundation.
