Finland dares Russia, announces plans to join NATO

Finland, one of Russia’s closest neighbours and one time ally, has announced that it intends to apply for membership in NATO, thus paving the way for the 30-member Western military alliance to expand amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

One of the main reasons for the invasion of Ukraine by Russia was the moves by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to apply for the membership of NATO which Russia opposed to.

Read also :Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons if Finland, Sweden join NATO

But on Saturday, Finland President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin made the announcement at a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.

The Finnish parliament is expected to endorse the decision in coming days, but it is considered a formality that the Nordic country will become a NATO member.

A formal membership application will then be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels, most likely at the some point next week, according to news reports in the country.

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