• Finland has officially become the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• It marks a major shift in the security landscape in northeastern Europe as it adds some 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) to the alliance’s frontier with Russia.

About NATO

• It is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
• There are currently 30 member states (Finland became 31^st).
• Its original members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
• Objectives of NATO
  • NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by political and military means.
  • NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defense and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.