The Finnish flag is due to be raised at Nato headquarters today, April 4, 2023, in Brussels to mark Russia's western neighbour becoming the 31st member of the Western alliance.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and the US Secretary of State will join Nato ministers for a joining ceremony.

The flag-raising ceremony to add Finland’s flag to NATO’s headquarters will take place in the afternoon. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö will read a speech at the event.

Finland's accession is a setback for Russia's Vladimir Putin, who repeatedly complained of Nato's expansion ahead of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The length of Russia's border with Nato member states has now been doubled.

Finland shares a 1,340-km (832-mile) eastern frontier with Russia and formally applied to join the Western security alliance with Sweden last May because of Russia's war.