Policy|Security policy
HS publishes the full statement by Sauli Niinistö and Boris Johnson.
Of the Republic president Sauli Niinistö and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed a joint statement in Helsinki on Wednesday, in which the countries assure each other that they will protect each other.
The declaration is a political declaration in nature and not an actual binding treaty that would require parliamentary approval.
However, the document is a statement of support from Britain and a public assurance that it will be Finland’s security during the NATO process. The declaration is as expected, as no actual binding security guarantee at the level of the treaty is expected in Finland during the NATO process.
HS publishes the statement submitted to the media by the Office of the President under the Finnish version in its entirety unchanged.
Declaration by Finland and the United Kingdom
The Republic of Finland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reaffirm their common desire to further deepen their defense and security co-operation in all circumstances.
We are committed to defending the principles of the European Security Order. As the security situation in Europe deteriorates, we want to further enhance our security and defense cooperation and strengthen our mutual solidarity. We intend to strengthen our existing, already established cooperation and work together to further develop our capabilities.
We condemn Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and demand that the Russian Federation immediately cease hostilities, withdraw its troops from Ukraine and begin serious negotiations on peace. We have increased our support for Ukraine, including the supply of armed material, and we are committed to helping the Ukrainians rebuild their country when the Russian military invasion ends.
Finland welcomes the strong commitment of the United Kingdom to the security of the Baltic Sea region, including the United Kingdom forces that it has deployed to Estonia as part of the NATO presence, and the United Kingdom-led Rapid Reaction Force, to which Finland is committed.
The United Kingdom remains unwavering in its commitment to NATO’s open door policy. The United Kingdom welcomes Finland’s role in creating security in the Baltic Sea region, Northern Europe and the rest of the world. The United Kingdom firmly believes that if Finland decides to apply for NATO membership, it will contribute to the security of the entire North Atlantic region. Finland and the United Kingdom have common security interests, and the United Kingdom is ready to assist Finland in all its efforts by all necessary means.
We confirm that if either country is in an emergency or under attack, Finland and the United Kingdom will assist each other in different ways at the request of the affected country. This assistance may also include military means. This co-operation is fully in line with the security and defense policies of both countries and is intended to complement – not replace – existing European and Euro-Atlantic co-operation.
Finland and the United Kingdom intend to intensify and deepen their co-operation in the fight against, among other things, hybrid threats and efforts to influence. Information exchange, including intelligence cooperation, plays an important role in combating hybrid threats and protecting critical infrastructure. Countries are working together to maintain a common situational awareness, enhance data protection and combat cyber threats.
We will continue to hold regular bilateral talks on foreign and security policy. These negotiations play an important role in deepening the partnership between Finland and the United Kingdom.
The long-term and strong defense relationship between Finland and the United Kingdom contributes to the stability and security of Northern Europe. Bilateral defense co-operation between Finland and the United Kingdom is based on the framework agreement on defense co-operation agreed in 2016. We intend to update this framework in order to further deepen and strengthen our cooperation and to take into account changes in the security environment.
This document is a political statement that is not a legally binding commitment under international law.
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