Soldiers assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division scan for counterparts acting as opposing forces during exercise Arrow 23 in Niinisalo, Finland, May 4, 2023. The U.S. and Finland are finalizing a deal that would let U.S. troops use a range of bases in Finland. (John Schoebel/U.S. Army)
The U.S. military could gain exclusive access to a range of bases in Finland, where weaponry and other gear could be stored as part of a new bilateral defense agreement.
The deal is nearly finalized and could go to Finland’s parliament for approval as early as next week, multiple Finnish news outlets reported in recent days.
For more than a year, Washington and Helsinki have been putting the finishing touches on the Defense Security Cooperation agreement, which specifies how and where American troops can maneuver in the new NATO member state.
The approved garrisons for U.S. forces would include areas for the Army, Navy and Air Force, the YLE news service reported Monday.
The Marines also trained in the country’s south with Finnish troops in May.
The exact location of the proposed bases remains a secret, but some include areas that would be available only to U.S. forces, YLE said. The defense pact will enable the U.S. to stock up on materials for troops carrying out missions in the country, such as arms and vehicles.
The agreement doesn’t limit the number of U.S. troops or exercises that could be conducted in the country, YLE reported.
As expected, the pact doesn’t stipulate any permanent U.S. bases or troops stationed in Finland. U.S. forces already have stepped up troop rotations and training missions in the past year.
Finland’s new NATO status, and looming updates to a bilateral defense agreement with the U.S., come in response to Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
Moscow’s move on Ukraine upended security perceptions for countries in Russia’s periphery. In Finland’s case, that meant abandoning its long-standing military nonalignment in favor of NATO and the collective security protections that come with membership.
For the U.S.-led alliance, incorporating Finland meant adding an advanced military with a ready reserve fighting force of 900,000 citizen soldiers bordering Russia.
