The United Kingdom agrees on a security settlement between Sweden and Finland
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson says he has agreed on new agreements with Sweden and Finland to strengthen European security, and promises to support both countries’ armed forces should they be attacked.
The agreements, described by Britain as “a gradual change in defense and security co-operation”, will to some extent allay fears in Finland and Sweden of threats from Russia should one of the countries decide to join NATO.
“What we emphatically say is that in the event of a disaster or an attack on Sweden, Britain would come to Sweden’s aid with whatever Sweden requested,” Johnson said after meeting with Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. .
Johnson does not want to say whether Britain would send troops to Sweden in the event of an attack.
“It is up to Sweden to make the request and to specify exactly what support is requested,” he said.
He would travel to Finland later in the day.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced a reconsideration of how Sweden and neighboring Finland safeguard national security.
Both are expected to join NATO but both are worried that they would be vulnerable while their applications are being processed, which could take up to a year.
“Are we safer with this declaration? Yes,” Andersson told reporters at a briefing with Johnson at the Swedish government’s county south of Stockholm.
“The aid will be provided at the request of the affected country and may include military resources.”
Sweden and Finland have also received assurances of support from the USA and Germany.
The British statement said the new arrangements would intensify intelligence sharing and speed up joint military training, exercises and deployments.
Sweden and Finland already have close ties with the United Kingdom and are part of the Joint Expeditionary Force, a multinational military group focused on security in the North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea areas.
But the war in Ukraine has raised fears in Stockholm and Helsinki that bilateral agreements will not replace Article 5 of the NATO Charter, which guarantees that an attack on a member state would be considered an attack on everyone.
Sweden is coordinating with Finland on a possible NATO membership and both countries are expected to announce their intentions in the coming days.
“If Finland takes this historic step, it is for the safety of our own citizens,” said Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin during a visit to Japan on Wednesday.
“Joining NATO would strengthen the entire international community and stand for our common values.”