2023-12-18 21:46:36
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The agreement was signed the day following a warning from Vladimir Putin, who announced a Russian military reinforcement in response to the Scandinavian country’s entry into NATO.
Published on 12/18/2023 10:46 p.m.
Reading time: 1 min Finnish Ministers Elina Valtonen and Antti Häkkänen, as well as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Washington, United States, December 18, 2023. (MANDEL NGAN / AFP)
Helsinki is moving closer to Washington amid growing tensions with Moscow. Finland signed an agreement on Monday, December 18 to strengthen its military cooperation with the United States. The agreement, which formalizes closer ties between the two countries, was hailed by the Finnish Defense Minister as “a strong sign of the United States’ commitment to the defense of Finland and all of Northern Europe”.
“We do not expect the United States to take care of the defense of Finland. But this agreement significantly improves our ability to act together in all situations.”declared Antti Häkkänen during the signing of the agreement in the American capital alongside the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken.
Russia to create Russian military district near Finland
On Sunday, Vladimir Putin accused the West of having “dragged Finland into NATO” and affirmed that this accession would create “problems” where there is “didn’t have any”. The Russian president also announced the creation of a Russian military district near Finland, while the two countries share a 1,340 kilometer long border. The US Secretary of State said that Finland “knows almost better than anyone what is at stake for Ukraine”.
Finland, which repelled a Soviet invasion in the winter of 1939-1940, avoided joining NATO for decades for fear of antagonizing its giant neighbor. But their relations have deteriorated considerably since February 2022, and the Russian offensive in Ukraine led Finland, worried regarding its security, to join NATO in April 2023.
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