UK Signs Mutual Security Pacts With Sweden, Finland, Amid Russia-Ukraine War

Keneci Channel

According to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the "mutual security assurances" pact would see the countries involved come to each other's aid in the event of a military attack. This comes as Finland and Sweden recently indicated interests in joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Johnson visited both Scandinavian countries this week, to sign the agreements which would reportedly lead to increased defense and security co-operation, including intelligence sharing, joint work on military equipment and more military exercises.

Asked whether British troops could be sent to Finland in the event of a Russian invasion, Johnson said: "Yes, we will come to each other's assistance including with military assistance." He said the UK would be prepared to offer Sweden "whatever Sweden requested," if Moscow followed through with threats of a military attack.

The Kremlin had warned both Scandinavian countries they face "military and political consequences" if they join NATO. But speaking alongside Johnson at her country retreat outside Stockholm Tuesday, Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson played down the risk, saying that Russian forces were "rather preoccupied in Ukraine."

PM Andersson said her country would be safer as a result of the mutual assistance agreement signed with the UK. "Are we safer with this declaration? Yes we are. Of course this means something."

Finnish president Sauli Niinisto echoed Andersson's sentiments later, saying the deal with the UK "increases enormously Finnish security."

Both countries neighbor Russia. Finland shares an 830-mile land border with Russia which also has a vast naval base at Kronstadt dominating the Gulf of Finland. Sweden faces its more powerful neighbor across the Baltic Sea.

Both Scandinavian countries have remained outside NATO, adopting a position of neutrality which was widely supported by their respective populations. 

Finland, which once belonged to the Russian empire, got its independence after the Bolshevik revolution in 1917. But in 1939, Stalin demanded that the Finns cede large swathes of territory back to the USSR, to strengthen its borders.

WATCH Boris Johnson's remarks on signing security pacts with Sweden and Finland