The Finnish Parliament ratified an agreement for defense with the USA, which will allow an increased military presence of American military and storage of American military equipment in Finland, reported France Presse, quoted by BTA.
After being signed by the Finnish government in Washington last December, the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) was unanimously ratified by the Finnish Parliament.
The document gives the US access to 15 military bases in Finland and authorizes the presence and training of US soldiers, as well as the storage of military equipment on Finnish territory.
Finland joined NATO in April 2023, more than a year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Finland's relations with Russia, with which it shares a common 1,340-kilometer border, have been highly strained since Finland joined the alliance, according to AFP.
The defense agreement between Finland and the US strengthens cooperation between the two countries in crisis situations. It includes the obligation to respect Finland's sovereignty, its national laws and international law, the government and the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Finnish Parliament stressed.
The ratification of the deal comes after Sweden approved a similar agreement with the US after much more heated debate, in which critics of the document argued it paved the way for the country to deploy nuclear weapons.
Although the topic was also discussed in Finland, legislators ensured that the obligation to comply with national laws applied to nuclear weapons, the import and transit of which are prohibited on Finnish territory.
The United States has concluded similar defense agreements with 11 other NATO countries, including Sweden, Norway and Denmark, notes AFP.