Finland, U.S. complete talks on defense deal

Finland and the United States on Tuesday completed negotiations on a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release.

Latest round of the negotiations was held in Helsinki from Monday to Tuesday.

Finland opened negotiations with the United States on a new bilateral agreement in August 2022.

Finland’s delegation for the negotiations was appointed by the President and led by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs under the guidance of the President and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.

The Finnish Parliament has received regular reports on the progress and contents of the negotiations.

“The negotiations were held in a collaborative spirit. This draft agreement will now proceed to the political process,” said Finland’s Chief Negotiator Mikael Antell, Deputy Director General at the Foreign Ministry.

The text of the agreement will be final only upon signature. The agreement will become a public document once it is signed. Its entry into force is subject to approval by Parliament.

The aim of the DCA is to clarify the framework for cooperation with an important ally and to allow the parties to deepen their cooperation in all security situations. In this way, the DCA will strengthen Finland’s security also as a member of NATO.

News agency Xinhua adds: According to Finnish media, there would be no actual U.S. bases in Finland, but the U.S. forces could be present in the country in some form.

National broadcaster YLE on Monday reported that U.S. troops would be granted access to some undisclosed garrisons and military bases, and exclusive access to sites for storing vehicles, weapons and other materials required to conduct military exercises in Finland.

At a press conference on Tuesday in the Norwegian capital Oslo, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that the results of the final talks will now be examined "at the political level." He said the DCA agreement is "crucial to Finland and other Nordics."