Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Finland officially joins NATO alliance in the face of Russia aggression

Belgium NATO Foreign Ministers Finland

Military personnel raise the flag of Finland during a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels to mark the accession of the alliance’s 31st member. Source: AP / Geert Vanden Wijngaert

SBS News In Depth
View Podcast Series
Download the SBS Audio appAvailable on iOS and Android

Finland has become the 31st member of the NATO alliance, nearly doubling the length of the member states' border with Russia. The historic fast-tracking of membership was spurred on by Russia's war in Ukraine.

Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.

Share

Latest podcast episodes

Dan Harris and his son prepare a batch of cupcakes
Kylie Evans wearing a floral print dress stands behind the milk bar counter.
People walk past the ASX building in Martin Place, Sydney.
People watch screens on devices including computers and mobile phones.

Recommended for you

An illustration of an older woman holding a large coin, standing next to an older man, who rests his hand on another oversized coin positioned atop a stack of coins. The couple stands in front of a backdrop of residential buildings
A grey-haired man gestures with his hand. With two canadian flags blurry in the background.
A composite image shows mostly empty grocery store refrigerator shelves with a customer notice stating that increased demand has caused supply shortages for some yoghurt products.
A composite image divided into two main sections. On the left, a cutout of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu shaking hands is layered over a background showing a poster of Netanyahu being burned. In the burning poster, text is partially visible, including the word “TERRORIST.“ On the right, a large Iranian flag flies prominently on a flagpole overlooking a dense, hazy urban cityscape with light-colored buildings stretching toward distant mountains. The two sides of the image are stylistically distinct, contrasting the political alliance of the leaders with the regional opposition and the landscape of Iran.
A reddish moon during a total lunar eclipse in the night sky.
Ultrasound scanning of intestines, abdominal cavity, right lobe, liver, bile ducts, gallbladder.
Several travellers are seen milling about in an dimly lit airport terminal.
A photo of the late Ali Khamenei, next to his son Mojtaba Khamenei, in front of a burning building

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world