Finland’s membership in NATO

Finland applied for membership in NATO on 17 May 2022. The NATO member countries signed the Accession Protocol concerning Finland’s NATO membership at NATO Headquarters on 5 July, making Finland an invitee of the Alliance. Once all NATO members had ratified Finland’s Accession Protocol and Finland had accepted its accession to NATO nationally, Finland became a member of NATO on 4 April 2023.

Photo: Kimmo Räisänen

NATO membership will strengthen Finland’s security in the changed security environment and improve stability and security in the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe. Finland’s strong defence capabilities and resilience will also strengthen NATO and the collective defence of the Alliance.

As a member of NATO, Finland will be part of NATO’s collective defence and decision making and, thus, be covered by the security guarantees enshrined in Article 5 of the Treaty.