Finland will sign a defense pact with the US.

On Monday, December 18, Finland and the United States will sign a defense cooperation agreement, according to a statement the Finnish government issued on Thursday. This deal would provide the United States military extensive access throughout the Nordic nation to the region of its long border with Russia through Finland.

This year, in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland, which is located in the Nordic region and is Russia’s neighbor, became the newest member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The fact that there will be no need to agree on everything individually makes it easier to organize activities during times of peace. However, Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the media that it might be even more crucial in times of crisis.

According to statements made by authorities before the announcement, the agreement with the United States is to facilitate the arrival of military assistance and assistance to Finland in the event of a conflict.

Under the terms of the deal, the United States military will have unrestricted access to fifteen different locations and regions in Finland, where it could also keep military vehicles, ammunition, and other supplies.

According to the deal, the regions would have four airbases, a military port, and railway access to northern Finland. In addition, the United States military will have a storage space adjacent to a railway that runs up to the Russian border.

Reuters reported in July that Finland is working to improve its railway infrastructure on its Swedish border. The goal of this improvement is to make it simpler for allies to send reinforcements and equipment from across the Atlantic to Kemijarvi, which is located an hour’s drive from the Russian border and seven hours from Russia’s nuclear bastion and military bases near Murmansk in the Kola peninsula.

Last week, Sweden inked a similar arrangement with the United States, which granted it access to 17 places, including four air bases, one harbor, and five military camps. Sweden has also requested membership in NATO, but it has been left waiting owing to reluctance from current members Turkey and Hungary.

The United States of America has signed similar agreements with several other NATO countries, including Norway, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Estonia. The deal with Denmark is now awaiting ratification.

Government authorities have said that Finland would not permit the storage or transportation of nuclear and biological weapons, as well as anti-personnel mines, on its territory. This decision is based on the international non-proliferation treaties that Finland has already agreed to.

According to them, there are no plans to establish permanent bases in Finland, but the United States military can maintain a permanent presence and conduct regular exercises there.

Monday will be the day the deal is signed in Washington, District of Columbia, before legislators in both nations.