US positions itself even closer to enemy Russia after military agreement with Finland
The United States and Finland have reached an important military cooperation agreement that will strengthen Finnish defence and tighten control of border crossings with Russia.
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, and Antti Häkkänen, Finland's Minister of Defence, staged the agreement in the US capital of Washington.
The American giant is thus placing itself very close to Russia, right on the border thanks to this new US military presence, despite the threats made by Russian President Vladimir Putin against the Finnish state in the face of its collaboration with its American rival. This situation is further aggravated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the West's stance against Russia's repudiatory attitude of aggression.
According to various European media, the border guard base in Ivalo is one of the five northern Finnish enclaves to be highlighted in the new agreement between Finland and the United States. Nearby is the heavily armed base on Russia's Kola peninsula.
According to various reports, the agreement regulates US access to and use of a number of military facilities and areas throughout Finland, including the pre-positioning of defence equipment, supplies and materials, and the entry and movement of US aircraft, ships and vehicles.
The northernmost region of Lapland is one of the main priorities highlighted in the agreement. Five of the 15 bases, training and storage areas included in the agreement are located in this region.
Among these bases is Rovajärvi, the largest military training area in Western Europe. The Rovajärvi area covers an area of 1,070 square kilometres and is used for large-scale military exercises in which up to 3,500 people can participate, as reported by media outlets such as Al-Ain.
The pact is of great importance to Finland, which feels threatened by Russia's bellicose stance on its border, exponentially increased by Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen highlighted the military agreement, saying it signifies "a strong signal of the US commitment to the defence of Finland and the whole of northern Europe". "We do not expect the United States to take over the defence of Finland, but this agreement greatly enhances our ability to work together in all situations," the Finnish minister explained.
Antony Blinken said that Finland "knows better than almost anyone what is at stake for Ukraine". Indeed, the Finnish state has on numerous occasions expressed its border concerns after the outbreak of the Ukrainian war, which began in February 2022. Antony Blinken also referred to the Finnish experience with Russia throughout history: "In 1939, the Finns also faced a Russian invasion and proved that a free country can put up incredibly strong resistance".
Hostilities at that time began just before the outbreak of World War II when the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) wanted Finnish territory by demanding the cession of important border areas in exchange for land elsewhere, citing security reasons, mainly the protection of Leningrad, 32 kilometres from the Finnish border.
Finland refused, so the Soviet Union invaded. Some experts pointed out that the Russian intention was to conquer Finland, while others dismissed this idea. The Finnish state responded to the Soviet attacks with heavy resistance, although the Soviet Army redoubled its efforts and succeeded in overcoming the Finnish forces.
Hostilities ceased in March 1940 with the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty. Finland ceded 11% of its territory, representing 30% of its economy, to the Soviet Union, which further asserted its power and influence, which grew after the end of World War II and the establishment of the Cold War, which saw the confrontation between two opposing poles, the Western and capitalist one led by the United States, with a defence organisation in place, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), and the Eastern and communist one led by the USSR, which had its own military defence entity, the Warsaw Pact, which encompassed the former communist orbit countries.
A situation that ended with the end of the Cold War and the break-up of the USSR and the fall of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
Antony Blinken alluded to this Finnish historical background in relation to the current situation: "Their history also reminds us of how important it is that we all continue to support Ukraine".
The signing of the agreement came a day after Putin warned of "problems" with Finland after it joined NATO and announced that his country would establish a new military zone in the northwest of the country in response.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, joined NATO last April following Russia's attack on Ukraine in early 2022, given the difficult situation following Russia's aggression against its Ukrainian neighbour.
