Finland officially joins NATO, marking a historic realignment triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
but the head of the military alliance said no more troops would be sent to the Nordic country unless it asked for help.
But he refused to rule out the possibility of holding more military exercises there and said that NATO would not allow Russia’s demands to dictate the organization’s decisions.Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto completed the process by handing over an official document to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Finland shares a 1,340 kilometer border with Russia, so its entry will more than double the size of NATO’s border with Russia. The move is a strategic and political blow to President Vladimir Putin, who has long complained about NATO’s expansion toward Russia.