Finland signed an agreement on Monday (18 December) to strengthen its military cooperation with the United States, a day after Vladimir Putin warned of a Russian military build-up in response to the Scandinavian country's entry into NATO. The agreement, which formalizes closer ties between Washington and Helsinki, was hailed by Finland's defense minister as "a strong sign of the United States' commitment to the defense of Finland and all of Northern Europe."
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We don't expect the U.S. to take care of Finland's defense," 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 US capital alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
'Dragged Finland into NATO'
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 significantly since February 2022, and the Russian offensive in Ukraine led Finland, worried about its security, to join NATO in April 2023.
On Sunday, Vladimir Putin accused the West of having "dragged Finland into NATO" and said that its accession would create "problems" where there were "none". The Russian president also announced the creation of a Russian military district near Finland, even though the two countries share a 1340,<>-kilometer-long border.
The U.S. secretary of state said 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 incredibly powerful resistance," Blinken said. "Your story also reminds us why it is so important that we all continue to support Ukraine," he added. Antony Blinken and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen renewed their support for Sweden's entry into NATO, which launched its application alongside Finland but whose accession process is currently delayed by Turkey.