Finland on Monday signed an agreement to enhance military cooperation with the United States, saying it saw a long-term threat from Russia, a day after its giant neighbor issued a warning over Helsinki's recent entrance into NATO.
The Defense Cooperation Agreement formalizes greater ties with the United States, including joint training of forces and military interoperability, in line with Finland's accession to the Atlantic alliance in April.
Signing the agreement in Washington with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen hailed it as a "strong sign of U.S. commitment to the defense of Finland and the whole northern Europe."