Finland, Sweden and the U.S. have signed a new letter pledging to increase the national security relationship between the two nations.
The language in the agreement, signed Tuesday at the Pentagon by U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Swedish Minister of Defence Peter Hultqvist and Finnish Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö, is nonbinding and largely involves big themes as opposed to steady deliverables.
But speaking to Defense News after the signing, both visiting ministers emphasized that this is a starting point for future strengthened relations, and that there will be a particular emphasis on increasing and planning joint exercises.
It isn't a NATO Lite. But it is a kind of "sort-of-NATO" deal that paves the way for wartime cooperation. Just in case.
Despite their small militaries, they aren't push-overs. And it isn't like the Russians have unlimited divisions to spare to focus on either Finland or Sweden.
And their territories will provide valuable depth (Sweden) as well as an interdicting position on our left flank (Finland) should the Russians go to war against NATO in the Baltic states and attempt to sortie their Baltic fleet from St. Petersburg.
UPDATE: Another angle on the position on our left flank:
In preparation for a looming fight with Russia, for the first time the Corps temporarily moved some of its M1A1 Abrams tanks holed up in secret caves in Norway to Finland.
It was for a large-scale annual training exercise featuring mechanized units known as Arrow 18, and it was the first time the Corps and its Abrams tanks have ever participated in the evolution, which took place from May 7-18.
It was only a platoon. But Russia noticed, I'm sure.
