April 4th, 2023 marked the 74th anniversary of NATO. It was also the day that Finland official joined NATO as the 31st member of the Alliance. Finland and NATO have enjoyed ongoing cooperation for several decades; following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Finland (alongside Sweden) submitted official letters of application to become part of NATO. Finland’s accession brings strong defensive capabilities, extensive expertise, and innovative technological partnerships to NATO.
“War has returned to Europe, and Finland has decided to join NATO, and be part of the world’s most successful alliance,” said General Jens Stoltenberg during Finland’s accession ceremony in Brussels. With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Finland’s accession roughly doubles the length of the border that NATO shares with Russia, reinforcing its eastern flank with Finland’s significant military contributions. Finland and NATO have been partners since 1994, with high military cooperation and experience, particularly with Russian expertise and arctic warfare.
Captain Veli-Petteri Valkamo, Finnish Liaison at Allied Command Transformation, shared the concept of Sisu:
“In Finnish culture, Sisu is the concept of extraordinary determination in the face of extreme adversity, a courage that typically presents in overwhelmingly difficult situations, entailing grit and resilience as well as stress management.”
This quality of stoic determination and tenacity of purpose, defines the Finnish attitude towards defence and security: Finland joining NATO makes the Northern Europe and the Alliance stronger and safer.
Finland has strong domestic infrastructure: with leading-edge connectivity networks, quantum and supercomputing research, and robust public-private partnerships, Finland has long been a trusted technological partner for NATO and its allies. Additionally, Finnish military capabilities are robust: conscription provides a large pool of military-enabled reservists, high-quality procurements provide Finnish forces with advanced weaponry, and ongoing military cooperation provide knowledge exchange for professional development. NATO’s Warfare Development Command, Allied Command Transformation, now with the addition of Finland, will continue to bridge, integrate and transform Alliance-wide capabilities, to prepare for future operations.