Breaking Defense:

Less than 11 months after applying, Finland officially became the 31st member of the NATO alliance today, with a signing ceremony in Brussels.

The signed agreement may be bittersweet for Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin, who championed the NATO membership but on Sunday saw her party defeated in a general election that will cost her the prime minister’s chair. However, the new government, led by the conservative National Coalition Party, has backed NATO membership.“

The era of military non alignment in our history has come to an end, a new era begins,” said Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö at the ascension ceremony, held at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. “NATO membership strengthens our international position and [gives] room for manoeuvre.”

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