Finland gets ‘ironclad security guarantee’ as new NATO member: Stoltenberg

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - Finland gets an “ironclad security guarantee” as it becomes NATO’s 31st member on Tuesday, the NATO secretary general said.

“It is hard to imagine a better day of celebrating” the anniversary of NATO’s founding than welcoming a new member to the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on the way to the meeting of NATO foreign affairs ministers.

He was referring to the signing of the Washington Treaty that established the alliance on Apr. 4, 1949.

Later today, Finland will officially become a member and its flag will be raised at the NATO headquarters at a ceremony.

“Finland will get an ironclad security guarantee” granted by the collective defense principle of the Washington Treaty’s Article Five, Stoltenberg said.

The rule of “one for all, all for one will now apply to Finland,” he added.

He said that as the ratification process of Sweden’s membership application has not been completed yet, the country “is in a much better position as an invitee.”

Stoltenberg vowed to “work hard to finalize the ratification” and hold a new meeting among representatives from Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden.

As the first item on the two-day reunion's agenda, NATO foreign ministers will meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and discuss NATO’s further support for the country.

The NATO foreign ministers will also start preparations for the leaders’ summit in July in Vilnius, Lithuania, including a new, "more ambitious" defense investment pledge “where we regard 2% of GDP for defense not as a ceiling but as a minimum,” Stoltenberg said.

On the second day, NATO foreign ministers will meet their counterparts from Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.