[…] Beyond the combat capabilities of the Finnish military, what concerns Russia is possible deployments into Finland by other NATO members. The Russian embassy in Helsinki has informed its government that negotiations between the United States and Finland on a defense agreement that would allow American military bases are expected to be completed by the end of the year (Iz.ru, September 25).
The question remains open whether such bases will be permanent or not. The most likely scenario is one analogous to US defense arrangements with Norway. While the US military does not have permanent bases in Norway, it enjoys increased access to certain military facilities, deploying contingents and equipment there on a rotational basis.
Finland and the United States started debating a new Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) earlier this year. By the end of August 2023, the parties held three rounds of negotiations, according to the Finnish authorities. The website of Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states, “The United States is one of the most important allies of Finland, and the government’s goal, according to the program, is to complete negotiations on the agreement. The agreement will strengthen Finland’s security and contribute to the fulfilment of Finland’s obligations as a NATO member” (Um.fi, August 25).
Following initial discussions after Finland’s acceptance into NATO, Finnish Foreign Ministry representative Mikael Antell, who participated in the negotiations, said that the DCA, among other things, will allow the deployment of troops, their stay in the country, and the preliminary storage of military equipment. Läs artikel