Ministers visit USA to sign defence co-op deal on Monday

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will sign a bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in Washington DC on Monday, according to an official press release.

Häkkänen left Finland for Washington on Sunday on a four-day visit . General Timo Kivinen, Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, will attend some of the programme events.

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen is also visiting USA on Monday, where she will meet US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken in connection with the signing of the DCA.

“We have taken important steps with our key strategic partner and ally to deepen our relations. The Defence Cooperation Agreement is an integral part of strengthening our bilateral cooperation and complements Finland’s NATO membership. I believe that in the future, our cooperation will become increasingly stronger in the fields of security, economy and technology. Finland also considers it important that the transatlantic relationship between the EU and the United States further intensifies,” said Valtonen in a press release before leaving Finland.

As the DCA contains provisions of a legislative nature, it is subject to acceptance by Parliament.

After the signature of the agreement, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will begin preparations for a government proposal for the acceptance and approval of the agreement and for the enforcement of its provisions of a legislative nature.

In August 2022, Finland decided to open negotiations with the United States on a DCA, which is an international agreement of a binding nature.

Finland and the United States on October 31 completed negotiations on a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA)

The President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy decided in favour of approving the outcome of the negotiations on November 27, 2023.