Finland joins NATO: How important a step for Finland - and for the Alliance? • FRANCE 24 English

Finland has officially become the 31st member of NATO, a strategic shift provoked by Moscow's war in Ukraine that doubles the US-led alliance's border with Russia. Finland, and neighbouring Sweden, are both abandoning decades of non alignment, although Sweden's accession remains blocked for now. We take a look at the announcement from NATO's secretary general and an analysis by FRANCE 24’s chief foreign editor, Robert Parsons.
🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: f24.my/YTen
🔴 LIVE - Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: f24.my/YTliveEN
🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: www.france24.com/en/
Like us on Facebook: f24.my/FBen
Follow us on Twitter: f24.my/TWen
Discover the news in pictures on Instagram: f24.my/IGen

[@davidventura985]

Bravo Finland 🇫🇮 you can say that you are more secure

[@jsv8898]

Nato's weak spot before Finland's adhesion was it's Eastern flank, specifically the he Baltic states which could be easily overrun. With Finland, this flank is significantly strengthened. Big W for NATO

[@blackcoffeebeans6100]

​@Arlan Filank Definitely win for Finland.

[@LevitatingCups]

especially with finland and estonia, the gulf of finland can be blockaded easily, shallow depths and missiles reaching from coast to coast, there is no movement from st. petersburg if so is desired, and that is a huge strategic advantage for naval warfare.

[@askohelminen8511]

We Finns bring a concept called "sisu" to the alliance, we will never bow to tyranny, we will never accept the injustice that is currently in power in Putin's government.

[@tjk3430]

I'm going to see the film Sisu when it's available in the US in honor of your country and cinematic mayhem!

[@frankmontez6853]

I’ll perhaps look up sisu

[@frankmontez6853]

As an American I’m feeling quite good very proud of our contributions to NATO and the overall security we offer with our military might. Arsenal of freedom yay ❤🇺🇸

[@keithdrower9120]

Bravo Finland.

[@voulathomacos-lagonas8445]

BRAVO FINLAND ....

[@trickstergaming6202]

Russian keyboards warriors is now ready to invade this channel

[@keithdrower9120]

Who cares what the Russians think. They only have themselves to blame.

[@davidkennedy8929]

“Are”now ready to invade this channel.

[@presidentofukraina]

NATO is unbeatable 😊

[@jivkotodorov84]

😅🤣

[@RobertTakata]

BE FREE EUROPEANS

[@mattiollikainen8098]

Mind you, we Finns and Estonians do know the Gulf of Finland. It is easy to block Kronstadt. Just look at the map. Tahkuna on Hiiumaa and Hanko in Finland. You can see The Russarö lighthouse of Hank coast from Tahkuna lighthouse. Barrage fire! Re russkie submarines minefields after minefields.

[@bidenchrist3christ]

NATO is greatest alliance of world democratic in world

[@frankmontez6853]

No one is talking about the days old sweeping elections in Sweden why not ? Might make a key critical difference between Sweden and Hungary?

[@joem0088]

Finland-Russia border is not a historic invasion route into Russia, where as Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine are proven invasion routes. Therefore Finland's being NATO membership is of little concern to Russia.

[@moonnightgodofegypt4998]

Which leader have guts to make this war

[@harambememorialpage]

Thank you Putin. Russia is amazing! To think they’d be so happy to unite Nato and the rest! 🤧

[@moonnightgodofegypt4998]

Finland war history NATO vs bricks+ great war (trillion😎😇

[@dimitrimorakhovski5287]

The war to Europe returned in the late 1990s when defensive alliance NATO bombed Belgrade

[@MTMF.london]

Forgetting to mention that it was an attempt to stop Serbia and Yugoslavia's ethnic cleansing of Albanians from Kosovo, are you?

[@menya00045]

The western world's paranoia of Russia is only getting worse and worse.. it feels like the westerners will get hallucinations soon and see Russian soldiers in every bush..🤣

[@NeggyNeggy-hr4dk]

The master of the west is in a tight corner now and they are talking about Russia when the United States is going down in everything.

[@lasse888]

Isn't Russia the only country To want War today?

[@upnorth2421]

Nice projection.

[@menya00045]

@@upnorth2421 projection for what?

[@upnorth2421]

@@menya00045 projecting russian paranoia into the west.

[@brownmold]

Propaganda value only. Since the end of WW2 and Finland lost the mines in Petsamo, the Finnish border is irrelevant. What? Do we expect NATO to station thousands of troops in a border area no one cares about? Come on!

[@phm19880]

Nobody's waiting that anybody put any troops in here. We can take care of our own border and country. Its a matter of IF conflict of war come that NATO countries fight and defend each other. I think that we Finns have quite realistic understand about who are, where we are and about other countries. No one said we were as important as your comment suggests

[@brownmold]

@@phm19880 not my comment. Other comments, on how this is such a blow to Russia. Frankly, it isn't. Best of luck to Soumi.

[@Cronin_]

@@brownmold The Russian Northern fleet is located on the Kola peninsula, and there are quite a few nukes there. The only road/rail track going there is practically paralleled the Finnish border. Thanks to Finland's membership the Baltic sea is practically a NATO lake. Before Finland joined the biggest bottleneck in the NATO strategy was the Baltics. It would have been basically impossible to come to their aid, if Russia attacked them. Now they are much more protected, and will be even safer once Sweden joins

[@brownmold]

@@Cronin_ the Baltic is a dead sea for any navy anyway. The Kola is sufficiently remote regardless. Sweden does not need to join NATO. It has sufficient guarantees from all relevant neighbours already, thanks to Turkish obstinancy.

[@remogatron1010]

Russia is panicked and Russia said they will increase their security along the border. The more men and weapons Russia stations along the border area is less men to fight in Ukraine. That is the problem for Russia. Either they use many valuable men to guard a static border region and have less men to fight in Ukraine and other areas. Or they could ignore the region and risk Finnish and NATO special forces sabotaging their vital railway link from Kola region to St, Petersburg. Either way, Russia is screwed!! Sweden will NOT sit by and do nothing if Finland is invaded. Sweden will get involved. Sweden is helping NATO as we speak. Sweden is NATO in all but a name.

[@mrevil6442]

Finland , Ukraine , Georgia, Russia is surrounded, and no wonder Russia is panicking and trying to do self-defense

[@formatique_arschloch]

Self defence😂😂 No one was or is planning to attack russia. russia is the only attacker here.

[@frankmontez6853]

But they’ve never threatened Russia but Russia has invaded another country Ukraine and committed and still commit atrocities against innocent civilians

[@fiddede5229]

U forgot to change to regular clothes after your clown clothes?

[@mrevil6442]

@Formatique arschloch Afghanistan , Iraq Syria Libya Somalia, never attacked America but America had defend its from thses countries ITS CALLED SARCASM

[@smthcrazy]

lol the aggressor who punches and then claims the victim