The Latest Breaking News from Finland

Formal accession nearly doubles Nato border with Russia as Moscow warns it will boost its defences if necessary

Sweden's path to NATO membership remains blocked by Turkey and Hungary as neighbour Finland officially joined the 30-member alliance on Tuesday after its application was ratified in record time.

Finland becomes the 31st member of the world’s largest military alliance as Sweden waits to join.

It's a blow to Putin who, in launching the Russian invasion of Ukraine, vowed to block the alliance's eastward expansion.

The move more than doubles Nato’s border with Russia in a blow to Vladimir Putin

James Cleverly welcomed Helsinki's entry into the 74-year-old, 30-member organsation - and vowed to press ahead with allowing Sweden into the nuclear-armed coalition

Russian President Vladimir Putin has achieved the opposite of his Ukraine war aims by triggering Finland's "historic" accession to NATO later on Tuesday, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said, declaring Sweden would also join soon.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia would be forced to take "counter-measures" to Finland's accession to the NATO military alliance, as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the move raised the prospect of the conflict in Ukraine escalating further. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the expansion of NATO - long…

Russia said on Tuesday Finland's accession to the NATO military alliance was a dangerous historic mistake that would weaken security in the wider region, increase the risk of conflict, and force Moscow to take counter-measures.