Finland approves defense pact with US.

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Finland's parliament on July 1 unanimously approved a defense pact with the U.S., that gives Washington, among other things, access to 15 bases on the territory of one of NATO's newest members. Spurred by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Finland entered NATO in April 2023, extending the NATO-Russian border by roughly 1,340 kilometers (830 miles). The Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) was signed in December of last year but was still awaiting approval from Helsinki's parliament.

As well as access to military bases, the DCA allows for the training and deployment of U.S. forces on Finnish soil, as well as the deployment of military hardware. Finland insisted nuclear weapons would remain covered by domestic laws in the agreement, so the import and transit of them remains prohibited. The U.S. has concluded similar DCA-style pacts with 11 other NATO countries, including Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Finland and Ukraine signed a 10-year security agreement in April, which President Volodymyr Zelensky called a "strong document that proves Finland's readiness to continue supporting Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression."

Russia has moved almost all ground forces from Finland's vicinity to Ukraine, media report

"On average, 80 percent of the equipment and soldiers have been transferred to the war in Ukraine," a high-ranking military intelligence source told Yle.