The Latest Breaking News from Helsinki

Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday, its flag unfurling outside the military bloc's Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures."

Outgoing Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin was left to consider her future after she conceded defeat in a tight parliamentary election on Sunday that handed her centre-right rival Petteri Orpo the right to try and form a coalition.

Talking Europe interviews Tytti Tuppurainen, Finland's minister for European affairs, following the Hungarian parliament's ratification of Helsinki's application to join NATO. Finland and Sweden both applied nearly a year ago, in what was seen as a huge shift in European security. But obstacles have slowed down the two countries' progress…

Helsinki entering the alliance will provide a major presence on Russia’s borders and more tools to defend Baltic states formerly under the Kremlin’s dominion

Turkey's parliament approved a bill on Thursday to allow Finland to join NATO, clearing the way for the country to become part of the Western defence alliance as war rages in Ukraine.

Finland looks set to join NATO soon, with Turkey's parliament voting to ratify Helsinki's membership bid even as it keeps Sweden's application on hold.

Finland should cut spending on unemployment benefits and other welfare programmes to stop public debt from creeping up, opposition leader Petteri Orpo told Reuters ahead of a closely fought election at the weekend.

The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission approved a bill ratifying Finland's bid to join NATO, state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Thursday, effectively taking Helsinki another step toward membership of the trans-Atlantic pact.

Finland and Sweden jointly applied for membership, but Ankara has so far backed only Helsinki’s bid.