Eleven months after applying to join NATO and a remarkably swift onboarding, Finland became a full member of the Atlantic Alliance on a Tuesday. At Allied headquarters, the ceremony featured the Finnish flag raised as Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the new member. He noted that 1949 marked NATO’s founding with the Washington Treaty, and he suggested that commemorating that anniversary alongside Finland’s accession offers a meaningful milestone for the alliance. The following overview explains NATO’s current membership and what Finland’s entry implies for security and defense in the region.
Which countries are NATO members?
With Finland’s official entry on Tuesday, the alliance numbered 31 members: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Which countries are interested in entering?
NATO maintains an open-door policy for European states capable of upholding the principles of the treaty and contributing to North Atlantic security. So far, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine have expressed their intention to join the alliance.
How about Sweden?
Like Finland, Sweden submitted an application in May of the previous year and received an invitation to join about a month later. In Sweden’s case, Hungary and Türkiye raised objections, delaying ratification while concerns over counterterrorism and regional stability were discussed.
When can Sweden join?
Allies have agreed to invite Sweden and to sign the accession protocol. Ratification now rests with two parliaments. There is confidence that this will proceed. In recent talks, leaders discussed restarting the mechanism that includes Finland, Sweden, and Türkiye to advance Swedish ratification, ahead of talks scheduled around the Vilnius summit in Lithuania on 10 and 11 July. The Lithuanian foreign minister urged not to derail the Vilnius agenda as discussions continue.
Will there be NATO troops in Finland?
Finland’s inclusion strengthens NATO’s military posture and adds more than 1,300 kilometers to the alliance’s border with Russia. The decision to deploy allied forces rests with Finland, and leaders emphasized that there would be no permanent NATO troops in Finland without Helsinki’s consent. Regular joint exercises may continue in member and partner countries, but permanent basing is not a given without consent and clear strategic agreement.