The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on Tuesday congratulated his Finnish counterpart, Sauli Niinistö, on Finland’s accession to NATO, declaring Portugal’s “unreserved” support for this “historic enlargement”.

This information is contained in a note published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet, on the day of Finland’s official accession to NATO.

“The President of the Republic congratulated his Finnish counterpart, Sauli Niinistö, on Finland’s accession to NATO,” reads the note.

For Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, “the extension of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to Finland, which took place today, April 4, constitutes an important reinforcement of the Atlantic Alliance and a solid reinforcement of ‘a structure which has been essential in matters of security and collective defence’.

“Portugal, which has unreservedly supported Finland’s accession to NATO in a convinced and decisive manner, welcomes this historic enlargement, with the firm certainty that the accession of its last member will contribute to strengthening the European pillar. of defense within the Atlantic Alliance,” added the Head of State.

Finland, a neighboring country of the Russian Federation, officially joins NATO after more than a year of war in Ukraine which began with the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. The Atlantic Alliance will now have 31 member countries.

Portugal has been part of NATO since its foundation in 1949. This political and military alliance was formed by the United States of America, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Germany and Norway, between others. Greece and Turkey joined in 1952. Hungary and Poland in 1999.

The latest countries to join NATO are Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania in 2004, Albania and Croatia in 2009, Montenegro in 2017 and Macedonia of the North in 2020.