Negotiations between Washington and Helsinki regarding a new defense agreement (DCA), which will, among other things, allow the deployment of American military bases in the republic, will end by the end of 2023. Izvestia was informed about this at the Russian embassy in Finland.
“According to Finnish estimates, they (negotiations – Ed.) will be completed by the end of the year. The Russian reaction will depend on the content of the document. Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security based on its national interests,” the press service said.
The Russian diplomatic mission noted that the details of the agreement are still the subject of discussions between Finland and the United States.
According to Nikita Lipunov, an analyst at the MGIMO Institute of International Studies, it is still unclear whether these bases will be permanent if they do appear in the republic. As the expert predicted, the most likely development will be the “Norwegian” scenario. It implies that the US armed forces will have access to some military facilities in Finland, where they will deploy troops and equipment on a “rotational basis”.
Washington and Helsinki launched DCA discussions in 2022. According to Finnish authorities, three rounds of bilateral negotiations regarding the agreement have already taken place to date.
Read more in the exclusive material from Izvestia:
Instead of deployment: Finland and the US may agree on military bases by the end of the year
