Finland now has the strongest allies and friends in the world' - General Secretary

Sauli Niinistö, the president of Finland, has spoken at a news conference with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels.

Mr Stoltenberg welcomed Finland to the military alliance by referring to the Ukraine war, saying: "At times like this, friends and allies are more important than ever."

He added that "President Putin wanted to slam NATO's door shut" but that "today we showed the world that he failed - that aggression and intimidation do not work".