(Dan Tri) – The Finnish Parliament approved the bill allowing the country to join NATO, meaning Russia will soon share a border with the NATO member.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin (right) meets NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Helsinki, Finland in 2021 (Photo: EPA).

Newsweek reported that on March 1, the Finnish parliament passed a bill to promote the country’s process of joining NATO with 184 votes in favor, 7 votes against, and 1 abstention.

The bill passed by parliament does not mean that Finland will automatically join NATO after being approved by the last two members of the alliance, Hungary and Türkiye.

To be admitted to NATO, a country needs the consent of all 30 alliance members.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz Party said on March 1 that it would support ratification of Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

President Niinsto said on February 22: `If Türkiye and Hungary ratify, we will become members of NATO.`

If Finland becomes a NATO member, it will be difficult for Russia to accept more than a year after Moscow launched a military campaign in Ukraine with a statement to prevent NATO from expanding its presence near the border.

Currently, 5 NATO members border Russia and the Kaliningrad region.

Finland applied to join the US-led military alliance, abandoning its decades-long policy of no military alliances due to security concerns after Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine.

Last June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia had no opinion that Finland and Sweden could join NATO.