BRitania has concluded an agreement with Finland, which implies military support in the event of an attack on the country, the same pact was previously concluded with Sweden. Stockholm and Helsinki expect to join NATO in the near future
Boris Johnson (left) with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto
Great Britain and Finland have agreed on mutual assistance, including military assistance, in case one of the countries is attacked. Military support can be provided at the request of one of the parties, the joint declaration says. The agreements were announced during the visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Helsinki. A live broadcast of the press conference following the negotiations was conducted by the press service of the President of Finland Sauli Niinisto.
A similar mutual assistance agreement was concluded earlier by the United Kingdom and Sweden, according to the website of the British Cabinet of Ministers.
“We have confirmed that if one of the countries is affected by a natural disaster or an attack, the United Kingdom and Finland, at the request of the affected country, will assist each other in various ways, which may include military means. This cooperation will remain in full compliance with the security and defense policy of each country and is designed to complement, not replace, existing European and Euro-Atlantic cooperation,” the text of the declaration reads (quoted by Reuters).
A few more points of the declaration relate to strengthening military cooperation in peacetime. The parties agreed to expand military coordination and security measures in the Baltic region.
Also, the countries in the document call on Russia to immediately stop military operations in Ukraine and declare their readiness to assist Kiev in rebuilding the country.
Finland and Sweden are planning to simultaneously apply for NATO membership in the coming months. Previously, these countries remained neutral: Finland since the end of World War II, and Sweden since the XIX century. The level of support for the decision to join NATO in both countries rose sharply at the end of February, after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine.
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At a press conference with Johnson, the President of Finland stressed that the state’s accession to NATO is not aimed against any country. “For us, joining NATO was not [directed] against anyone, we wanted to maximize our defense in one way or another,” he said.
According to the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin are due to speak about the country’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance on May 12. They are expected to make the decision on the application itself on May 15. In Sweden, an official decision on NATO membership is also due to be announced on May 15.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the entry of previously neutral Finland and Sweden into the alliance would lead to undesirable consequences and a radical change in the military-political situation, as well as consequences in relations with these countries.
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