Finland Times

 

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä.File Photo – Lehtikuva.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä on Wednesday said Finland wants to enhance defence cooperation with Sweden.

 

The prime minister’s remarks came after Finance Minister Alexander Stubb on Monday had written on his blog that the United States is the most important bilateral partner for the Defence Forces.

 

Sipilä said training activities conducted jointly with the United States is not surprising, since deepened transatlantic cooperation was in the previous government programme. “The United States is an important partner, because it is the most important supplier of our system.” 

 

Stubb on his blog also remarked that deepened bilateral cooperation should not come as a surprise to Antti Rinne, the chair of the main opposition Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland), who until last year’s elections sat in the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.

 

According to Sipilä, Russia is also aware of Finland’s long-term defence policy. The premier said there has been no change to the policy, even though the United States will participate in a number of military exercises in Finland in spring and summer.

 

Stubb, however, stated that parliament should be briefed better on the Defence Forces bilateral exercises.

 

Sipilä said the flow of information will be fixed if any has occurred.