Brussels, Belgium. Finland becomes NATO’s newest member after depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with the United States at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. NATO allies signed Finland’s accession protocol on July 5, 2022, after which all 30 national parliaments voted to ratify the country’s accession. Finland’s NATO accession comes after lengthy negotiations with Turkey, which had raised concerns over Finland’s stance on Kurdish rebels in Turkey. Sweden’s membership application remains pending for similar reasons. Finland’s accession will more than double the border between NATO and Russia.
