Finland's move on Tuesday to become the 31st member of NATO is a strategic step that doubles the military alliance's border with Russia but provides the
Finland broke with decades of non-alignment to ask to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbour Ukraine in February last year
As Finland's top leaders announced they were ready to break decades of neutrality and apply to join NATO's military alliance "without delay," Russian authorities threatened retaliation.
Membership was never seriously considered before the war on Ukraine, and if they join, it would represent a serious setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
To join or not to join? The NATO question is coming to a head this week in Finland and Sweden where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered the long-held belief that remaining outside the military alliance was the best way to avoid trouble with their giant neighbor. If Finland’s president and the governing Social Democrats…