© YouTube / US Department of StateFILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken participates in a Defense Cooperation Agreement Signing Ceremony with Finnish FM Elina Valtonen and Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, December 18, 2023
A new military cooperation deal agreed with Washington will limit Helsinki's sovereignty, the Finnish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, advising that its ratification will therefore require a two-thirds majority in the parliament.
Finland joined NATO in April 2023, abandoning a decades-long policy of neutrality. It began negotiating a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the US almost immediately, and signed it last December.
A working group led by the Foreign Ministry was set up to draft the ratification protocols which were formally sent to the country's parliament for comments on Thursday, the ministry announced.
"The working group concludes that the DCA would restrict Finland's sovereignty, which is why Parliament's acceptance of the agreement would require a two-thirds majority of the votes cast," the ministry press release said. The parliament has until May 12 to comment on the draft proposal.
The DCA gives the American military access to 15 bases in Finland and allows the deployment of military equipment and supplies on Finnish territory, as well as the free movement of US aircraft, ships, and vehicles. Members of the US military and the facilities they use would also get special legal protections.
When the DCA was signed, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said it was "a guarantee from the world's largest military power that they will defend us."
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by saying that Helsinki previously enjoyed cordial relations with Moscow and had no disputes, territorial or otherwise, but chose to side with the US-led bloc anyway.
"There was no trouble. Now there will be," Putin said in December. "We will now create the Leningrad Military District and concentrate certain military units there."
Comment: As has happened before, the step from EU to NATO was a matter of time. The Finnish government managed to sell the concept of joining NATO, next is to improve on the level of subjugation, let the US do more of what it wants within Finland, thus moving from being a mere vassal to becoming a more fully occupied state. Finland is not alone, somewhat similar agreements have been concluded between the US and the other Nordic countries.
Below are some headlines from past articles relating to Finland:
Finland to sign defence pact with US giving access to 15 bases on Russian border 'in case of conflict'
Russia terminates agreement on cross-border cooperation with Finland
Blackmail: NATO member Finland threatens African aid cuts over support for Russia
US sees in Finland's NATO accession encirclement of Russia
Finland joins NATO, Russia warns of counter-measures
Finnish gangs smuggling western weapons from Ukraine to Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, reports Finland's largest media outlet Yle
Warmongering Finnish PM says sanctions must hit 'ordinary Russians'
Finland willing to host NATO nuclear weapons on border with Russia
Russia updates position on Baltic nukes