Publish Date: 3 April 2023 - 15:45

TEHRAN, Apr. 03 (MNA) – Finland will officially become a member of NATO on Tuesday, the presidency said.

It follows the parliament of Turkey’s approval to ratify a protocol on Finland’s accession to NATO on Thursday, the last hurdle to its entrance to the alliance, the National reported. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed the news in a Monday press conference.

"We will raise the Finnish flag for the first time here at NATO headquarters. It will be a good day for Finland's security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole," he said in Brussels.

Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO last year following the Ukraine conflict.

While western powers supported the bids and accepted their applications in June, Turkey and Hungary stalled the ratification process required from all NATO members.

Stoltenberg last week said Finland was due to join the alliance “in the coming days”.

“This membership will make Finland safer and NATO stronger," he said.

“Finland will bring a lot to our alliance,” he added. 

SKH/PR