'Let Finland be a lesson to Putin' - UK defence secretary

As the Nordic country officially joined NATO this afternoon, Ben Wallace released a statement reaffirming the rights of sovereign states.

"I am delighted that Finland's application to join NATO has now been approved and I want to welcome the country to the organisation," he said.

"Let Finland be a lesson to President Putin. Finland chose to join, based on their own free will.

"The freedom to choose their alliances as a sovereign state is a matter for their citizens and their citizens alone."

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Finland.

"NATO became the only effective security guarantee in the region amid Russian aggression. 

"We expect [the] NATO summit in Vilnius will bring Ukraine closer to our Euro-Atlantic goal."