It's a blow to Putin who, in launching the Russian invasion of Ukraine, vowed to block the alliance's eastward expansion.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg sent a message to Moscow while officially welcoming Finland into the alliance: "President Putin wanted to slam NATO's door shut. Today we showed the world that he failed, that aggression and intimidation do not work. Instead of less NATO, he has achieved the opposite: more NATO. And our door remains firmly open."
The two Nordic neighbors had hoped to become members at the same time, but Hungary and Turkey have held up Sweden's application. It's unclear if and when it may move forward. All NATO members must approve new members.
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