On Wednesday, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb made a notable visit to Ukraine, marking a significant step. According to a statement from Stubb’s office, he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy inked a groundbreaking agreement on security collaboration and enduring assistance between their nations. Spanning a decade, the deal encompasses a range of issues, including political solidarity, bolstering Ukraine’s defense and security, and providing support for Ukrainian reforms and reconstruction efforts. “The ten-year agreement is a testament to the Nordic country’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine,” Stubb’s office quoted him as saying. The pact includes a robust military bloc that involves a series of substantial aid packages containing defense material.
The agreement includes a firm pledge to provide unwavering support for Ukraine until it fully defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. The Participants, in a resolute stance, reaffirm the need to ensure that Russia pays for its illegal actions in Ukraine and that those responsible are held accountable. They also commit to continue working to find ways to utilise frozen and immobilised Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Among other things, the Participants, in a show of solidarity, will continue to strengthen structures supporting the rule of law and the fight against corruption. They will also work tirelessly to help rebuild the economy, develop the energy sector, or improve its border and critical infrastructure protection. They also will continue to work with Ukraine in the areas of intelligence and cyber and information security and to help Ukraine prevent hybrid threats and terrorism.
In the military sphere, the Participants will work together to help Ukraine build a modern and capable force. This will involve transferring technology, equipment, and training for Ukraine’s defense and security forces in all domains, focusing on their fundamental capabilities and needs. In addition, the Participants will support Ukraine’s participation in multinational defense and security coalitions, such as the Artillery Capability Coalitions, and explore other opportunities.
The Participants will also support Ukraine in developing its security and defense policy, including establishing a Future Force Concept. This will enable the country to deter and defeat any future acts of armed aggression and integrate into the Euro-Atlantic defense architecture.
Lastly, the Participants will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts to ensure its security and defense industry is incorporated into European defense and security frameworks. This will include identifying opportunities to support the integration of Ukraine’s defense industry into EU industrial and technological infrastructure, considering Ukraine’s specific requirements.
The pact is part of Kyiv’s ongoing effort to finalize agreements with G7 partners on providing long-term security and political support. In February, Ukraine’s Zelenskiy met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and Germany’s Olaf Scholz in Berlin to seal such deals. The pacts concretize the G7 members’ pledges made last July. Ukraine also is working to finalize bilateral agreements with the United States and the UK. The goal is to boost Ukraine’s resilience and make its forces able to defend against any future aggression by Moscow while continuing to be integrated into the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.
