Biden pokes Putin as he welcomes Finland to Nato: ‘We are more united than ever’

President Joe Biden and other top American officials on Tuesday celebrated Finland becoming the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a move that they characterised as a significant blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions.

In a statement, Mr Biden said Finland — and Sweden, which has yet to receive the unanimous assent required to join the alliance — are “strong democracies with highly capable militaries, who share our values and vision for the world” and noted that Finland’s bid to join Nato had been ratified faster than any other previous membership addition.

The president noted that Mr Putin had hoped to divide Nato when he launched his unprovoked war against Ukraine last year, and said the result had been to unify Nato and Europe even further through Finland and Sweden’s accession to the alliance.

“Today, we are more united than ever. And together—strengthened by our newest Ally Finland—we will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face,” he said.

Mr Biden also said he looks forward to welcoming the Swedes to the alliance and called on Turkish and Hungarian leaders to drop their opposition to Sweden’s membership bid and “conclude their ratification processes without delay”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also praised the Finns’ contributions to the alliance in a statement celebrating their addition to Nato.

“Finland is stronger and safer within the Alliance, and the Alliance is stronger and safer with Finland as its Ally. Finland has a highly capable military and has been an active participant in NATO-led operations; it also shares our values and strong democratic institutions. We are confident Finland’s membership will strengthen our collective defense and enhance our ability to respond to security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area,” he said.

“Nato has helped maintain peace and stability in Europe for over 70 years. It has also played a critical role in promoting stability and the international rules-based order around the world. Finland’s membership in the Alliance will advance these shared goals”.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s top Republican, called Finland’s addition to Nato “outstanding news that further strengthens what is already the most successful alliance in the history of the human race”.

“ I am happy to welcome Finland to this trans-Atlantic Alliance and I congratulate the Finnish people, President Niinistö, and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg on this historic occasion,” he said.

He added that the Finnish people “have long been ahead of the curve” when it comes to defence commitments, citing Finland’s “advanced economy, their existing substantial arsenal of sophisticated and interoperable Western arms, and their already-proven commitment to seriously investing in their own defence”.

“The Alliance is significantly stronger than it was yesterday,” he said.