British Prime Minister Boris Johnson traveled to Stockholm and Helsinki on Wednesday to sign the agreement with his counterparts Magdalena Anderson and Sana Marin, respectively.
Johnson explained that both texts, very similar in their content, assert that in the event of an attack on one, the other would provide assistance, including military assistance.
According to the prime minister, the type of assistance will depend on the request of the country concerned.
But Johnson’s office made it clear that the agreements included a greater number of joint exercises, an increase in intelligence sharing, and an increase in security in the three countries.
“This is not a short-term measure, as you contemplate joining NATO, but a permanent guarantee,” the president added, before concluding his brisk tour of Helsinki.
Finland and Sweden, two countries that have adopted a status of neutrality for years, announced their desire to join the US-led military coalition after Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin explained at the time, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics asked Moscow for help in repelling the escalation of aggression and intense bombardment by Kyiv.
The Finnish prime minister plans to announce his government’s decision on the matter on Thursday, while the Swedish leader may do so over the weekend.
According to polls, 70 percent of Finns and 50 percent of Swedes support the accession of their countries to NATO.
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