Shafaq News/ Turkey has ratified Finland's request to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), making it the latest member after Russia invaded Ukraine.

On Thursday, the Turkish parliament unanimously approved Finland's accession to the alliance, two weeks after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly supported the request.

The President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, expressed gratitude to NATO countries for their support. At the same time, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the ratification, saying it would make the entire NATO family stronger and safer.

NATO is a military alliance of 30 North American and European member countries. It was established in 1949 in the aftermath of World War II to provide collective defense against potential threats from the Soviet Union and other potential aggressors.

NATO is based on the principle of collective defense, which means that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members. Accordingly, the alliance is committed to taking all necessary measures to defend its members.

NATO has also been involved in several conflicts and military operations, including the war in Afghanistan and the 2011 military intervention in Libya.

While NATO has been an essential pillar of transatlantic security for over seven decades, it has also faced criticism and challenges. Critics have argued that the alliance is outdated and that its focus on collective defense against external threats is no longer relevant today. Others have criticized NATO's involvement in military operations outside its traditional area of operation and have raised concerns about the potential for escalation and conflict with other major powers, such as Russia.