Posted in Beijing 2023-12-16 16:19.
Finland will sign a defense agreement next week that will allow the United States to use 15 military bases of NATO's newest member states, several of which are located in northern Finland, including Ivallo, Rovajärvi, Rovaniemi, Tervola and Vitsilotto, the Finnish Defense Ministry said on Friday, AFP said on December 16**.
Defense Minister Antí Hakkane and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will sign a "defense cooperation agreement" in Washington on Monday, the first said. The treaty must be ratified by the parliaments of the Nordic countries.
** continued: "The DCA will strengthen Finland's defense because it enables U.S. troops to be stationed and trained, as well as to pre-position defense materiel within Finland. ”
** Chief Elena Valtonen will travel to Washington to meet with Blinken during the signing.
The United States signed a similar agreement with Sweden on December 6, under which the U.S. team will have access to 17 Swedish military bases. Four of these sites are located in the northern Swedish province of Norbotten, Kiruna, Boden, Wiesel and Luleå-Karakáx.
The Swedish parliament will adopt the agreement by a majority vote.
Due to concerns caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Finland and Sweden abandoned their long-standing military non-alignment policy and applied for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Norway has already negotiated a so-called additional agreement on defense cooperation with the United States and Norway in 2022. The agreement was later adopted by an overwhelming majority of members of the Norwegian parliament. The agreement gives the United States unhindered access to four military bases on Norwegian territory. Two of them, Ramsund and Evenes, are located in the north.
The agreement also includes U.S. police powers on Norwegian territory and U.S. ** libraries that Norway does not have access to.
Norway, Sweden and Finland have opened a total of 36 military bases for the US military and **. These agreements are bilateral, that is, agreements between the United States and individual countries, not NATO agreements.
The issue of the deployment of US nuclear weapons in Sweden and Finland is not regulated by the agreement. Contrary to Norway's base and nuclear policy, these agreements do not explicitly prohibit the deployment of such **. Still, the chances of this happening are slim. Modern nuclear ** is quickly transferred if it is deemed necessary.
The conclusion is that Russia's war against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the military use of the High North region, and it was done in a very short time.
The purpose of the United States and the strengthening of Nordic forces in the north is to deter Russia from attacking.