Pending defense agreement would let U.S. troops use bases in Finland

After negotiations lasting more than a year, Washington and Helsinki are close to signing a defense cooperation pact that would allow U.S. troops access to military bases in Finland and set up storage depots for American weapons, vehicles and other equipment.

The move to strengthen U.S.-Finnish relations gained new urgency following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland and Russia share an 830-mile border, and the conflict swung the Nordic country’s public support in favor of joining NATO. It became a member of the alliance this past April.

“The (U.S.-Finnish) negotiations were held in a collaborative spirit. The draft agreement will now proceed to the political process,” Mikael Antell, deputy director general at Finland’s Foreign Ministry, said in a statement.

Concluding the Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. was one of the objectives laid down by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government. It must now go to Finland’s Parliament for ratification.

“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,” government officials in Helsinki said Wednesday in a statement. “In this way, the DCA will strengthen Finland’s security also as a member of NATO.”

While the defense pact would mean American troops training on the border with Russia and setting up storage facilities that would be used exclusively by U.S. military units, Finland’s Yle news network said there are no plans to establish permanent American bases in the country.

“The agreement does not set limits on how many troops or exercises there would be here, but the matter could be negotiated whenever Finland so desired,” Yle reported.