Finland and Ukraine sign 10-year security agreement
Finland's President Alexander Stubb visited Ukraine where he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed an agreement on security cooperation and long-term support between the two countries.
The deal covers a range of topics including political support, backing for Ukraine's defence and security and support for Ukrainian reforms and reconstruction.
"The ten-year agreement is proof of Finland's long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine," Stubb's office said.
THE AGREEMENT
Both countries express a firm stance against Russia's war in Ukraine, emphasizing the conflict's impact on European security.
Finland, with it's long history of conflict with Russia, has recently been admitted into NATO on April 4, 2023.
The agreement explicitly supports Ukraine's future membership in both NATO and the EU, marking a significant political stance that could reshape the security architecture of Europe.
With this agreeement, kraine commits to governance, transparency, anti-corruption, and democratic control over its security and defense forces.
This focus on reforms aligns with broader European values, and in interest of Ukraine's possible admittance into Eurozone.
Both countries also commit to supporting the investigation and prosecution of war crimes and the implementation of sanctions against Russia.
FURTHER AID PACKAGE PROMISED
Stubb also told Zelenskiy that Finland would send another package of defence materials with an estimated value of around 188 million euros (203 million dollars), taking the total Finnish contribution since 2022 to around 2 billion euros.
