American armoured vehicles in Georgia, which also borders Russia. The news of the exercise, called Noble Partner 2016, angered Russia, which said it could destabalise the region. Finland could soon see more of the same
David Brennan – NEWSWEEK May 2, 2023
American soldiers may soon be deploying to bases near Russia’s border with Finland if ongoing talks on a new defense cooperation agreement (DCA) between Helsinki and Washington prove successful.
Finnish newspaper Helsinki Sanomat reported Monday, citing Finnish Foreign Ministry official Mikael Antell, that discussions on the new cooperation deal may allow for the construction of significant military infrastructure on Finnish soil. The proposed agreement would not cover nuclear weapons.
Helsinki Sanomat reported that Antell—the Foreign Ministry’s deputy director general for political affairs—is leading the bilateral negotiations, and that fresh discussions took place in the Finnish capital last week. The agreement, Antell said, will augment Finland’s recent NATO membership
“The most important thing is that the agreement enables smooth cooperation with the United States in all security situations, and also at short notice,” Antell said.
DCA discussions have been ongoing since last fall. Helsinki said at the time: “Finland’s membership in NATO will not diminish the importance of bilateral cooperation with the United States. Instead, it will open up new opportunities for cooperation.”
The U.S. is currently also pursuing DCAs with Sweden and Denmark. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in January that such agreements would “deepen our close security partnership, enhance our cooperation in multilateral security operations, and, together, strengthen transatlantic security.”
Antell said the proposed U.S.-Finnish DCA “enables troops to enter the country, stay on the ground, the pre-storage of material and possible infrastructure investments through the funds granted by the U.S. Congress to the Pentagon.”
Though Antell said it is “too early to speculate” on specific investments, he did give an example of a “maintenance hall for F-35 fighters.” Finland last year finalized a $9.4 billion deal to acquire 64 F-35 fighters to replace its current fleet of F-18 Hornet multirole fighters.
“The agreement also defines the facilities and areas where the cooperation would be focused,” Antell said. “They are basically military areas and garrisons. In principle, there can be more than one, but the discussions are still open in this regard.”
Any eventual deal will need parliamentary approval before it can come into force. Helsinki Sanomat reported that negotiations are expected to continue into 2024.
Finland’s accession to NATO in April marked the end of Helsinki’s historic pivot away from decades-long security neutrality and into the Euro-Atlantic bloc. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 prompted a major shift in public and political opinion in favor of joining NATO. The same happened in Sweden, which is still awaiting final approval to join the alliance.
Though Finns were overwhelmingly in favor of NATO membership, polls indicate they are more divided on foreign troop presence. A January survey conducted by the Finnish MTV broadcaster found that 39 percent of respondents were in favor of a permanent NATO base.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said last month that bilateral security deals may be beneficial for Finnish security. “In that respect, the United States is a significant factor,” Niinistö told YLE.
Matti Pesu, a senior research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told Newsweek that Helsinki will consider U.S. military presence in Finland—even if only small-scale—as important in wider efforts to deter Russian aggression.
“If you’re looking at the major benefits of NATO membership, obviously it’s the allied relationship with the U.S. and the benefits that that status may entail,” Pesu said. “Finland sees the evolving relationship with the U.S. as the greatest deterrence benefit, or deterrence boost.”
“The supplementary DCA between Norway and the U.S. is perhaps the best reference,” Pesu added, referring to the 2021 deal that gave U.S. troops and aircraft access to three airports and one naval station.
But, Pesu said, a more significant U.S. military footprint in Finland remains unlikely. “We’re not expecting any major permanent presence,” he said.
“To Finland, it’s important to regularly have U.S. boots on the ground, or U.S. Air Force capabilities here in Finland. These infrastructure arrangements could facilitate more exercises and deeper cooperation between Finland and the U.S., and then the U.S. is also a potential reinforcer if a conflict breaks out.
“Then, having some U.S. military hardware or stockpiles pre-positioned here in Finland would also be something that Finland might be looking for.”
I would be very surprised if Finland can be persuaded to participate in this plan. Its objective in joining NATO is to secure itself against colonisation. We should recall that Finland was the archetype known as ‘Finnlandisation’ in the Soviet era: effective total domination without occupation. It did not join NATO to put itself in the line of fir, nor in the firing lline..
It means nothing, when Russia clearly states that tactical nukes will be used if NATO attacks Russia.
Georgia, Finland, or anywhere in NATO, they’ll be nuked.
While the attacks on Crimea are insignificant militarily, they do put Putin under pressure to up the anti.
The legal route with SMO was a huge mistake.
That’s the problem with oily politicians, they can’t feel it when the US slips it up ’em. That’s WEF puppets doing it. Someone said recently the Ukrainian build-up spoken of may actually be a plan for Poland to be brought into the fight–no doubt that’s the US plan–but this also shows the Finns what a dreadful mistake they’ll be making involving themselves in a war that’s advantageous to the US but running short of men. It would be useful for the US to use Finland, creating a second front in the far north around the Arctic Circle, bringing with it logistics complications and dividing Russia’s forces even before there was any fight.
The US is not listening. Russia will not take defeat. It will go nuclear.
So whether you like it or not the Elders of Zyklon are laying the groundwork for war.
Remember you should expect a war with Lebanon to be contrived by Jewish HQ in Israel….but not immediately
Then the illegal immigrants will be pushed into Europe…..etc.
Looks like the Suomis are also getting dumber, or do they imagine themselves as Simo Haiha?
i suspect this is a trick for the senate to kill off a whole bunch of its poofs
the military has been brainwashed into poofery
these are now danger to ordinary folk
and we think the ssenate just wants them gone
thankyou
Madness.
The road to war on course….Kremlin suffers drone attack….upping the ante……fairs fair the American banking system is tanking.
You wouldnt have thought they would have been so blatant about it….
The news say it was Ukraine who was responsible…..perhaps but it was most likely the same culprits who were responsible for the pipeline explosion…..???.
What The F ! they are already in front of
Petersburg housedoor ! unbearable situation !
the Baltics have to be neutralised !
Russia go install your missiles in Cuba + Haiti !
When are the jerk-off politicians going to take a lesson from the Chinese? The US will never have the resources or the collective will to conquer the world. Others have tried and failed. Is greed so blinding that the pigs at the trough are willing to founder themselves? Capitalism has created a cadre of mindless gluttons wandering the economic wasteland shrieking “More, MORE!”. Well, they will get more. A nuclear dildo cometh…
“…Amid Russia Threat”
Hahahahahahaha. I guess I missed the “threat”.
No hay problema! They will be the first evaporated. I would not want to be stationed anywhere in Europe! Does anyone anywhere notice those that are doing this will be safe in their bunkers paid for by the plebs!
ken – if russia can destroy a bunker 400ft below the surface and all high ranking western officers (some 200) therein – there is no place to hide for the western leaders.
@ KEN
only secure place for coming developements
I think will be southamerica .