Inside Defense /October 07, 2016 |
The United States and Finland have signed a new bilateral statement of intent to build a stronger security partnership, according to the Pentagon.
Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work met with Finland’s defense minister, Jussi Niinisto, in Helsinki to formalize the new agreement, which lays a foundation for “sharing of security information and expanded joint training and exercises,” according to an Oct. 7 statement from the Pentagon.
While in Helsinki work also participated in a “first-of-its-kind trilateral meeting” with Finnish and Swedish defense officials, where they “discussed ways to build on strong bilateral ties among our nations, and agreed to additional trilateral sessions at a working level in Washington later this year,” according to the Pentagon.
Work also has discussions with defense officials from Nordic and Baltic nations that included an update on “NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence effort on its eastern flank, the U.S. European Reassurance Initiative, security challenges in the Baltic Sea region, the status of the campaign to defeat ISIL and opportunities to strengthen security and stability in the region,” according to the Pentagon.
While for most the above headline is a “yawner”, it should be taken very seriously—-
–Finland and Sweden have been trying to get membership in NATO after Putin’s made bold moves in the Arctic. While Syria and the Ukraine brew, lest we not forget that Russia is exercising its influence in the North.
–Two hours after this Pact was signed Russian fighter aircraft encroached Estonian and Finnish airspace, and were successfully escorted away.
–In encourage you to read the attached White Paper which I wrote on the request of Senator John McCain.
— Putin has 7 major airfields, 150 fighter, bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, 39 surface combatants, 38 active icebreakers and 4 nuclear ones that only deploy when necessary, at least 14 of Russia’s most modern submarines, and 6 000 Arctic Trained Troops assigned to his Arctic Command. the-arctic-white-paper-final
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