Finland to sign defense pact with US to expand military access
Kyiv • UNN
Finland will sign a defense pact with the United States to bolster its security and allow U.S. troops access to the country ahead of its expected NATO membership. The agreement favors a U.S. military presence and joint exercises without establishing permanent U.S. bases in Finland.
Finland will sign a defense cooperation agreement with the United States. This was announced by the Finnish government on Thursday, December 14. After signing the agreement, the US military will have wide access through the Nordic country in the area of its long border with russia. This was reported by the Associated Press, according to UNN.
This sends a very strong message at this time. The United States is committed to our defense even in a difficult situation.
Details
NATO's newest member, Finland, which shares a border with russia, will sign a bilateral defense cooperation agreement with the United States next week. United States. Under the agreement, Finland will authorize Washington to to send troops to the Scandinavian country to strengthen its defense. It will also it will also allow the storage of weapons and military equipment there.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said at a at a press conference in Helsinki on Thursday that Defense Minister Antti Hakkänen will sign the so-called Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in Washington, DC on on Monday, December 18.
The pact, which has yet to be approved by Finnish lawmakers, is "very important for Finland's defense and security". for Finland's defense and security," Hakkänen said, emphasizing that the agreement is binding on both sides.
Under the agreement, Finland will provide U.S. soldiers with access to 15 military areas and facilities: starting from the key southern naval base and inland air bases to a large remote army training area in Lapland, in the northern Arctic.
U.S. troops will be allowed a permanent presence and regular exercises in Finland, but there are no plans to establish permanent US military bases in Finland, officials said.
Several NATO countries currently have similar bilateral defense agreements with the United States.
Last week, Finland's close Scandinavian neighbor Sweden, which which is on the verge of joining NATO, signed a similar agreement last week. It is expected that member Denmark is also expected to do so in the near future
Background
Finland joined NATO in April after decades of military nonalignment as a direct result of non-alignment as a direct result of russia's attack on Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
The country of 5.6 million shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Ukraine. (830-mile) border with russia, which makes up a large part of NATO's northeastern flank. NATO and acts as the external border of the European Union to the north.
