UK vows to provide military assistance to Sweden and Finland in case of attack

Europe, News May 12, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

UK signed a security pact with Sweden and Finland on May 11 to boost the defense confidence of the two European countries as they move towards joining the NATO alliance.

The UK has pledged to provide military assistance to either country if it is requested in case of an external attack. The agreement is reciprocal as both Finland and Sweden have also pledged to provide military assistance to the UK whenever requested.

In an official statement released by the UK government, it was stated that the agreement with the two countries would “reinforce their security and fortify northern Europe’s defenses, in the face of renewed threats.”

The statement further said that “The declarations will see a step-change in defense and security cooperation between the UK and each country, intensifying intelligence sharing, accelerating joint military training, exercising and deployments, and bolstering security across all three countries and northern Europe.”

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both Finland and Sweden are in the process to join the NATO alliance and are expected to gain membership in the near future, even though Moscow has repeatedly warned the two countries not to join the NATO alliance as it would bring the NATO forces closer to Russian border inciting unnecessary confrontation. Finland shares a 1,340 kilometers long border with Russia, and Russia has always stated that NATO’s expansion towards its borders would be taken as a serious threat to its security. NATO on the other hand claims to be a defensive alliance that does not pose any offensive threat to Russia.

Although Sweden does not share any direct border with Russia, the strategically important island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea can make Sweden vulnerable in case of conflict.

^{British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L), and Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö (R) shake hands at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Image Credit: AP/Frank Augstein)}

The British Prime Minister visited the two Scandinavian countries on May 11 to sign the security pacts. During a joint press conference in Sweden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “What we are saying emphatically is that in the event of a disaster or the event of an attack upon Sweden, then the UK would come to the assistance of Sweden with whatever Sweden requested.”

Johnson made similar comments about the UK-Finland defense pact in Helsinki while attending a joint press conference after signing the agreement with his Finnish counterpart.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced the two Scandinavian countries to reevaluate their long-standing stance of neutrality and join the NATO alliance to ensure a defensive backing. To induct Finland and Sweden into NATO, all 30 NATO member countries have to ratify their admittance to the alliance. This process would take no less than a few months or even a year, however, the security pact with the UK would provide the two countries with a much-needed immediate defense assurance.