Finland has had a decades-long policy of military neutrality that would come to an end if it becomes a full member of the military alliance.
Soon after Finland's announcement, fellow Nordic country Denmark said it would push for the quick NATO admission of Finland.
There is a risk the move from Helsinki could spark aggression from Russia, where President Vladimir Putin has expressed his opposition against NATO's enlargement. Finland has been reviewing its security policy in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which showed the Kremlin is willing attack a neighboring nation. Finland has been invaded in the past — in 1939, the Soviet Union attacked Finland in what became known as the Winter War.
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