Pentagon, 22 May 2024(TDI): The US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin conducted a bilateral meeting with his Finnish counterpart Antti Häkkänen on Tuesday in the Pentagon.
The meeting aimed at exchanging views on Finland’s integration in NATO, assistance to Ukraine, and other key security issues, according to The State Department.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin unequivocally lauded the Finnish Minister of Defense for Finland’s unwavering efforts to integrate into NATO, the world’s largest armed group.
He also praised the Finnish government for extending military assistance to Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggression, as reported by US officials.
The two leaders have successfully negotiated a collaboration for joint engagement of military forces and have unquestionably committed to bolstering the security partnership between their states.
They have reaffirmed the continuation of ironclad military support to Ukraine now and in the future, as stated by the State Department.
The Finnish Defense Minister raised the subject of the future location of a Nato ground force sub-headquarter in the Nordic region. He presented his country’s desire to establish a Nato ground forces sub-headquarters in Finland.
“I am confident that we are on the right track. That is also why this is being discussed with the US. We are trying to get the biggest country in the alliance to see our point of view,” Häkkänen said, further noting that Finland’s 1,300km-long border with Russia is the reason why a Nato ground force headquarters is needed.
Also read: US approves NATO membership for Finland, Sweden
US-Finland Defense Cooperation Agreement
During the meeting, Lloyd Austin and Antti Häkkänen highlighted the progress in the US-Finland Defense Cooperation Agreement, which was signed last December, and conferred the next step for the implementation of the agreement.
The Defense Cooperation Agreement(DCA) reinforced Finland’s security and promoted the fulfillment of Nato membership obligations.
Security and defense cooperation between Finland and the United States is long-term cooperation based on shared needs and objectives, which has been carried out between the defense administrations and with other parties.
The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) explicitly addresses practical aspects such as troop entry, defense equipment storage, and taxation. It clearly outlines the key areas of cooperation and collaboration between Finland and the United States.
){kind=link}