Finland signed an agreement on Monday to strengthen its military cooperation with the United States, a day after a warning from Vladimir Putin in which he announced Russia's military reinforcement in response to the Scandinavian country's entry into NATO.
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The agreement, which formalizes closer ties between Washington and Helsinki, was welcomed by the Finnish defense minister as “a strong sign of the United States' commitment to the defense of Finland and all of Europe to the north.”
“We do not expect the United States to take care of the defense of Finland,” Antti Hakkanen added. “But this agreement significantly improves our ability to act together in all situations,” he said at the signing of the agreement in the American capital together with the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken.
Finland, which repelled a Soviet invasion in the winter of 1939-40, avoided joining NATO for decades for fear of angering its giant neighbor. But since February 2022, their relations have deteriorated significantly, and the Russian offensive in Ukraine led to Finland joining NATO in April 2023 out of concern for its security.
On Sunday, Vladimir Putin accused the West of “drawing Finland into NATO” and claimed that such membership would create “problems” where there were “none.”
The Russian president also announced the creation of a Russian military district near Finland, while the two countries share a 1,340-kilometer border.
The US Secretary of State said that Finland “knows almost better than anyone what is at stake for Ukraine.”
“In 1939, the Finns also faced a Russian invasion and proved that a free nation can put up an incredibly strong resistance,” said Antony Blinken.
“Their story also reminds us why it is so important that we all continue to support Ukraine,” he added.
Mr. Blinken and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen reiterated their support for Sweden's NATO membership, which has launched its candidacy alongside Finland but whose accession process is currently being delayed by Turkey.