Finland is preparing to conclude a bilateral security and defense agreement with the United States, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Sunday (8 January).
According to Haavisto, the deal is still in the preliminary stages and is unlikely to be finalized for several months.
Last May, Finland concluded a similar agreement on security guarantees with the United Kingdom. The Finnish government had already announced last September the start of negotiations for a cooperation agreement with Washington.
The deal should lay the groundwork “further collaboration if the diplomatic situation requires it”. The minister estimates that the negotiations should last between one and two years.
The minister stressed that the United States was “the most important non-European diplomatic actor in Europe”particularly active in ensuring the security of Finland and the rest of the continent.
The United States has already signed 17 security cooperation agreements with member countries of Europe and NATO. A transatlantic agreement has also been reached with Norway.
“We have a lot to learn from how Norway is developing its engagement with NATO”said the new Finnish ambassador in Oslo on Thursday (January 5).
Mr. Haavisto was interviewed in Sälen, Sweden, where he was attending the country’s annual national security conference, «National People and Defense Conference 2023». NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Mr Haavisto are among the speakers.
The theme of this year’s conference is “The EU and NATO in the new reality of European security”.
The conference brings together leading politicians, experts, media representatives and international participants from Sweden to discuss current security policy issues.
