The invasion of Ukraine by Russia ended the Nordic nation's long-held preference for military non-alignment.
The parliament needs to sign off on the formal decision made on Sunday, according to President Sauli Niinisto. The Nordic country must apply for NATO membership without delay, according to Niinisto and Sanna Marin.
Marin said that Russia is a different place today than it was a few months ago.
She said that joining NATO was an act of peace so that there wouldn't be another war.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February led to the accession of Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Policy makers quickly kicked off the process to join after the attack shifted popular opinion.
Niinisto said that they have been talking about NATO membership for at least 30 years.
The move has been called the third defining moment in the history of the Nordic nation.
After more than 100 years as a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire, Finns won independence in 1917 and fought two wars with the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, Finns cowered to Moscow while retaining independence in a policy that came to be known as Finnization.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Nordic country immediately sought entry into the European fold in Sweden's wake.
The move to join NATO is a monumental change politically in those countries, because they have had the opportunity for three decades to join NATO, but chose to remain outside.
If not a part of Russia, a former president was once asked what the idea of Finns was. His famous one-word reply was survival.
The country of over five million people has always been on alert. It has a reserve of 900,000 troops and is able to deploy 280,000 of them in a war. Most men and women are required to go through military training lasting from six months to a year.
NATO gear is compatible with the military equipment of Finland. In December, the country decided to buy 64 F-35A jets from Lockheed Martin.
Sweden's ruling Social Democrats are planning to reveal their stance on NATO membership on Sunday, just as policy makers are trying to calm fears that Turkey could derail their bid.
Niinisto said that he was prepared to meet to discuss the issues raised. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the two Nordic countries would be warmly welcomed. unanimity is required to bring in new members.
According to a recent survey, 84% of Finns think that Russia poses a significant military threat, and they're nearly unanimous in saying their neighbor is unstable and unpredictable. Policy makers say there is no immediate threat.
President Niinisto phoned Putin to say that the Nordic country wants to join NATO. According to a statement from the Kremlin, Putin told his counterpart that the move would be a mistake because there were no threats to Finns' security.
Niinisto said that Putin's reaction to the plan wasmilder than before.
Russia may bring nuclear weapons into its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad in response to the prospect of more troops on the border.
The Russians have been playing this card for years, and we believe they have had weapons in Kaliningrad already.
Chris Miller and Ott Tammik assisted.
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