Current:Home > ScamsFinland, NATO’s newest member, will sign a defense pact with the United States-LoTradeCoin
Finland, NATO’s newest member, will sign a defense pact with the United States
View Date:2024-12-23 15:58:58
HELSINKI (AP) — NATO’s newest member, Finland, which shares a border with Russia, is to sign a bilateral defense cooperation agreement next week with the United States in a deal that allows Washington to send troops into the Nordic country to bolster its defense and store weapons and military equipment there, among other things.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told a news conference in Helsinki on Thursday that Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen will sign the so-called Defense Cooperation Agreement, or DCA, in Washington on Monday, Dec. 18.
The pact, which must still be approved by Finnish lawmakers, “is very significant for Finland’s defense and security,” Häkkänen said, stressing that the deal is judicially binding on both sides.
“It bears a very strong message in this time. The United States is committed to our defense also in a tough spot,” Häkkänen told reporters.
Finland joined NATO in April after decades of military non-alignment as a direct result of Russia’s assault on Ukraine that started in February 2022. The nation of 5.6 million shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia that makes up a significant part of NATO’s northeastern flank and acts as the European Union’s external border in the north.
Under the deal, Finland will allow U.S. soldiers access to 15 military areas and facilities covering the entire Nordic nation all the way from a key southern naval base and inland air bases to a vast remote army training area in Lapland, in the Arctic north.
American troops are allowed a permanent presence and regular exercises in Finland but there are no plans to establish permanent U.S. military bases in Finland, officials said.
Several NATO countries currently have similar bilateral defense agreements with the United States.
Last week, Finland’s close Nordic neighbor Sweden, which is on the brink of joining NATO, signed a comparable deal. Alliance member Denmark is expected to do so in the near future.
veryGood! (86)
Related
- Tony Todd, star of 'Candyman,' 'Final Destination,' dies at 69
- Inmate who escaped from Houston courthouse after holding staffer at knifepoint caught following hours-long manhunt
- Here’s what to know about a stalled $237M donation to Florida A&M
- Bridgerton Season 3 Finale: Hannah Dodd Reacts to Francesca's Ending—and Her Future
- Georgia public universities and colleges see enrollment rise by 6%
- Ditch Your Heavy Foundation for These Tinted Moisturizers & Tinted Sunscreens This Summer
- Washington man spends week in jail after trespassing near Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser
- Hurry! Gap Is Offering 50% off Your Entire Purchase, Including Sale Items Like Basics for Summer & More
- Georgia State University is planning a $107M remake of downtown Atlanta
- Kate Middleton Shares First Photo Since Detailing Cancer Diagnosis
Ranking
- Roy Haynes, Grammy-winning jazz drummer, dies at 99: Reports
- Indian doctor says he found part of a human finger in his ice cream cone
- White Lotus Star Theo James Once Had a Bottle of Urine Thrown at Him
- Bear attack in Canadian national park leaves 2 hikers injured
- College Football Playoff snubs: Georgia among teams with beef after second rankings
- Watch Georgia man's narrow escape before train crashes into his truck
- Stay Dry This Summer: 21 Essential Waterproof Products to Secure Your Vacation Fun
- Shop the Latest Free People Sale & Elevate Your Essentials with Boho Charm – Deals up to 72% Off
Recommendation
-
Oregon's Dan Lanning, Indiana's Curt Cignetti pocket big bonuses after Week 11 wins
-
The Sphere in Las Vegas really is a 'quantum leap' for live music: Inside the first shows
-
Bridgerton Star Luke Newton Confirms Romance With Dancer Antonia Roumelioti
-
This week on Sunday Morning (June 16)
-
Joey Logano wins Phoenix finale for 3rd NASCAR Cup championship in 1-2 finish for Team Penske
-
Tyson Foods suspends executive John R. Tyson after DWI arrest in Arkansas
-
Virginia lawmakers to hold special session on changes to military education benefits program
-
Tony Evans resignation is yet another controversy for celebrity pastors in USA