Ukraine Latest: Finland Formally Joins NATO; Macron Off to China

(Bloomberg) -- Finland officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Tuesday, becoming the defense alliance's 31st member. 

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto deposited Finland's instrument of accession with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels. The Nordic country, which did a U-turn on the issue of joining NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine, will mark the accession with a flag-raising ceremony in Brussels.

French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to China, where they'll try to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to change his stance on Russia's war. 

Key Developments

• Finland to Join NATO as Alliance Expands Northwards
• Macron Heads to China Seeking Major Ukraine Shift: What to Watch
• Russian Who Fled House Arrest in Italy Says He Is Now in Russia
• NATO Chief Urges Allies to Pledge Yearly €500 Million to Ukraine
• Russia Blames Ukraine as Suspect Held in War Blogger's Death 

(All times CET)

Kremlin Blasts Finland NATO Accession, Vows Response (2:10 p.m.)

The Kremlin branded Finland's accession to NATO as yet another “aggravation” of the standoff between Russia and the West.

“NATO expansion is an encroachment on our security and the interests of the Russian Federation. That is how we perceive it. We will take countermeasures,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Tass state news service.

Russia will carefully monitor the actions of NATO in Finland and will respond accordingly, Peskov added.

Sweden Lauds Finland's NATO Membership While Pressing Own Case (1:30 p.m.)

Finland's membership in NATO is good for Sweden, even as Stockholm presses to overcome Turkey's resistance to approving its accession, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told reporters in Brussels.

“We would like to join NATO as well, that's no secret, but it's going to be beneficial for the security of Sweden and Finland as well that Finland now becomes a member,” Billstrom said. “It's of the utmost importance that Sweden now becomes a member.”

Finland's Accession Will Strengthen NATO, Stoltenberg Says (12 p.m.)

Finland's accession to NATO will make both the Nordic country and the military alliance safer, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of a ceremony later today to mark its official membership.

Despite its 1000 kilometer-long border with Russia, Finland and NATO will become safer because the country joins “an alliance where we guarantee the security of all allies,” removing room for Moscow to miscalculate about allies' readiness to protect Finland, he said.

“That makes Finland safer and NATO stronger,” Stoltenberg added. Finland is due to become NATO's 31st member later today after final paperwork is completed. Its flag will join those of its 30 allies outside NATO headquarters.

Finland to Join NATO as Alliance Expands Northwards (9:08 a.m.)

Finland is set to become the 31st member of NATO, completing a tumultuous process of accession sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that upended the European security landscape.

In a bittersweet moment, Finland will gain Article 5 security guarantees and deterrence, but will be forced to leave its close neighbor Sweden behind on the doorstep of the alliance.

Russia's UN Envoy Opens UN Term With No Apologies (9:08 a.m.)

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's UN ambassador, shrugged off questions about his country's fitness to take the rotating presidency of the Security Council for this month even as it continues its invasion of Ukraine.

“The order of the presidency is well-defined,” Nebenzya told reporters Monday. He made it clear that Russia will use the opportunity to promote its defense of the war, with an appearance at the world body by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later in the month and a session to “dispel some misconceptions and propaganda” over its policy on “evacuating children from crisis zones.” The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes concerning the alleged abduction of children from Ukraine.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield described the Russian presidency of the council as “an April Fools' joke.” 

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