The Finnish government has announced that it will allow American military personnel to enter the country without presenting any documents, according to a report by the local newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.
The report states that Washington and Helsinki are expected to announce the signing of a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in the near future. Under the agreement, US soldiers will be able to enter and stay in Finnish territory without any restrictions.
“For example, they do not need a passport or visa. Civilian accompanying personnel need a passport and military ID,” the publication clarifies.
According to the publication, representatives from the US and Finland are currently negotiating the terms of the agreement. It is expected to be signed on October 31.
At the same time, the article emphasizes that Finnish authorities have no intention of deploying American soldiers on the border.
On October 30, YLE reported on the imminent signing of a defense agreement between Washington and Helsinki. The Helsingin Sanomat newspaper also noted that the document will not specify the exact location of US soldiers’ deployment in Finland.
As stated in the publication, this will be one of the main differences between this agreement and a similar one between Washington and Oslo. In Norway, three specific zones are designated for American military personnel.
Earlier, the US Department of State announced plans to sell long-range missiles to Finland.
