Finland joins NATO bloc
Why in news:
- Finland formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on Tuesday.
- It nearly doubled the length of the border that the alliance shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight.
- Russia said that it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and north-western regions in response to the move.
- The event marks the end of an era of military nonalignment for Finland.
About NATO:
- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an inter governmental military alliance between 31 member states – 29 European and two North American.
- Established in the aftermath of World War II, the organization implemented the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington. D.C. on 4 April 1949.
- NATO is a collective security system: its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties.
- During the Cold War, NATO operated as a check on the perceived threat posed by the Soviet Union.
- The alliance remained in place after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
- NATO formed with twelve founding members and has added new members nine times, most recently when Finland joined the alliance in April 2023.
- Following the acceptance of its application for membership in June 2022, Sweden is anticipated to become the 32nd member, with its Accession Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty now in the process of being ratified by the existing members.
- In addition, NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine as aspiring members.
Syllabus: Prelims + Mains; GS II – IR
