Military cooperation - Finnish parliament approves defense agreement with USA
The Finnish Parliament has approved an agreement on military cooperation with the USA. The Riksdag in Helsinki granted its approval to the agreement (DCA) in a plenary session. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkanen had already signed the agreement in December in Washington, but the necessary approval of the Finnish Parliament had been pending until now.
Approximately two weeks ago, the Swedish Parliament also approved such an agreement with Washington. Regulated in these defense agreements, among other things, is the presence of the US military in the respective country. In the case of Finland, the USA will have access to 15 Finnish bases and training areas.
Finland and Sweden, under the impression of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, decided to apply for NATO membership. Finland was admitted as the 31st member of the defense alliance in April 2023, while Sweden followed, after lengthy obstacles from NATO members Turkey and Hungary, in March 2024.
The defense agreement approved by the Finnish Parliament allows for enhanced cooperation with the USA's military. Secretary Tony Blinken commended the Finnish Parliament's decision, highlighting its significance within the broader context of NATO defense. With Finland's acceptance into NATO, the USA's presence in Finnish bases and training areas will take on a new strategic importance. This cooperation is part of a broader trend, as the Swedish Parliament also approved defense agreements with the USA in recent times.
