Explained: From neutral to NATO, what does Finland's entry mean for the military alliance?

The NATO membership of Finland was unanimously approved by the Turkish parliament on Thursday (March 30), effectively allowing Helsinki to join the military alliance while keeping Sweden out.Finland can now formally join NATO in a couple of days.

“All 30 NATO members have now ratified Finland’s membership,” Finnish President Sauli Niinistötweeted. “I want to thank every one of them for their trust and support. Finland will be a strong and capable Ally, committed to the security of the Alliance,” he said.

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The role of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is prominent as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues. Experts have claimed that Ukraine's persistence on wanting to join the military alliance was the cause of the warthat Vladimir Putin started in February 2022.

We explain the basictenets of NATO, as well as how the inclusion of Finland canreshape the group.

Firstly, Why Finland and Sweden want to join the alliance?

The two nations have a long history of maintaining their neutrality and avoiding military alliances. However, when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February 2022, this stance changed.

Experts claim that Vladimir Putin's activities have undermined a long-standing sense of stability in northern Europe, making countries like Sweden and Finland feel vulnerable, as reported by AFP.

As soon as Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb declared that his country's membership in the alliance was a "done deal."

Finland had been invaded by the Soviets in late 1939. Although being vastly outnumbered, the Finnish army put up a valiant fight for more than three months. They managed to evade occupation but ultimately lost 10 per centof their area.

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As there have been numerous reports of Russian military aircraft violating Swedish airspace, Sweden has likewise felt at danger.

Only 28 per centof Sweden's population indicated in April 2014 that they would be willing to join the alliance, according to data compiled by Statista. When the question was reposed in February 2022, the percentage increased to 41 per centin favour of Sweden joining NATO. This percentage rose to 64 per centin July 2022.

Similar to Finland, there was a shift in opinion about joining NATO. Only 24 per centof the populace wants the nation to join the alliance in October 2021. Nevertheless, this increased to 76 per centin May 2022.

Sweden and Finland were invited by all NATO partners in June of last year, and the ratification process has been proceeding ever since. While Sweden's bid to join the alliance is still encountering difficulties, Finland has received approval from all 30 countries, with Turkey being the latest to do so.

What would Finland's and Sweden'sinclusion mean for NATO?

With Finland's inclusion, NATO's border with Russia will grow from its current 6 per centland perimeter to its entire length. That would provide the alliance access to Finland's well-trained military, which currently employs weaponry that are compatible with the alliance, allowing it to increase its surveillance of Russia's western flank.

Although,Russia is now mired in its conflict in Ukraine, it still poses a small threat, and allies shouldn't underestimate Moscow's capacity to rebuild its military after the conflict, reported The Japan Times.

Additionally, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, three of the EU's Baltic countries who are frequently considered prospective targets of Russian attack, will be protected by the bloc's increased security of the region surrounding the Baltic Sea as a result of Finland's entry.

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It adds a second Arctic nation to the alliance, one whose military has been trained for cold weather, which is a valuable asset at a time when the High North is becoming more strategically significant due to China's and Russia's increased presence there.

Since the two Nordic countries submitted their applications in May of last year, Finland's ratification represents one of the fastest memberships in NATO history. It took two years for North Macedonia to become the last member of the alliance.

What does NATO signify and who are part of it?

The United States,United Kingdom, Canada, and France were among the 12 nations that established NATO in 1949. The goal of this bloc was to protect one another from the former Soviet Union. It was the first military alliance between the United States and a non-Western country.

The core idea of collective defence as outlined in Article 5 binds group members, who have increased from 12 at the start to 30 at the most recent count. It still serves as a distinctive and enduring tenet that unites its members, committing them to defend one another and fostering a feeling of unity within the Alliance.

At present,NATO has 30 members. They are made up of 12 founding members: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Greece, Türkiye, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

(With inputs from agencies)

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