Finland's NATO Membership: Implications for Russia and Ukraine

Finland has become the 31st member of NATO, with its accession bolstering security on NATO's eastern flank and giving the alliance direct access to its 800-mile border with Russia. The move comes after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which led to increased support for joining NATO within Finland. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which border Russia or its close ally Belarus, will also benefit from Finland's membership. Russia has said it will bolster its own defenses in response to NATO's expansion.