Proof that Putin’s Ukraine invasion has spectacularly backfired
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will not be happy with Finland becoming the 31st member of Nato. Finland was largely comfortable with the dense network of security partnerships that it had devised since the end of the Cold War: close cooperation with Nato, participation in the EU’s common security and defence policy and military integration with its neighbour, Sweden, and the other Nordic partners. Of course, the sudden doubling of Nato’s borders with Russia as Finland takes its seat in the North Atlantic Council will give Nato a considerable extra security burden. Yet Finland’s membership is probably of greater immediate strategic importance to Nato, given that it will give the allies greater access to the Baltic Sea and capacity to reinforce the Baltic States and Poland.