Finland votes to lift ban on nuclear weapons in move to bring it closer to NATO amid tensions with Russia

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The move allows Helsinki to receive, transport, and otherwise facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied defence operations amid heightened tensions with Russia.

Finland's ministers have claimed the country has no plans to host nuclear weapons, but the change in the law was designed as a deterrent amid an uncertain state of security in Europe.

The country shares an 800-mile border with Russia and the move is said to have angered Vladimir Putin.

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Its lawmakers voted by a margin of 125 to 61 on Wednesday to lift the country’s longstanding ban.

Defence Minister Antii Hakkanen wrote on X: "The Parliament approved the amendment to the Nuclear Energy Act with a strong 2/3 majority."

"With this proposal, we are strengthening Finland’s defence and enabling the full use of NATO's nuclear deterrent as protection for Finland."

Mr Häkkänen added that the country’s former nuclear restrictions no longer reflected the geopolitical realities facing a NATO member.

The Nexta TV media channel reported that Putin claimed Finland had planned to take part of Russia.

He said: "What did Finland join NATO for? Did we have any territorial disputes with Finland? No.

"Everything had long been settled. Why did they join NATO then? In the hope that everything here would collapse, and they’d swoop in and grab what they could.

"They’re already building a border along the Sestra River."

The change comes a week after Russia began construction on a new military base eerily close to Finland’s eastern border for the first time since the USSR collapsed.

Earlier this year, Finnish authorities seized a Russian ship and all 14 crew members suspected of cutting an undersea cable but dragging its anchor.

The cable is owned by telecommunications service provider Elisa and is considered to be critical underwater infrastructure.

Police in Helsinki accused them of aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage and aggravated interference with telecommunications.