Finland announces military aid package for Ukraine worth $116 million

Finland will deliver military aid amounting to 106 million euros ($116 million), the Finnish Defense Ministry announced on Dec. 21.  

Details of the delivery were not made public "for operational reasons and in order to guarantee the safe delivery of the aid," but the package takes into account "both the needs of Ukraine and the resource situation" of Finland's Armed Forces, the Defense Ministry said.

"Finland is committed to supporting Ukraine in both the short and long term," Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said.  

Finland has so far delivered 1.6 billion euros ($1.76 billion) worth of military aid to Ukraine, according to the ministry.

Russia has made multiple thinly-veiled threats to Finland over the last week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Dec. 17 that Finland is "now going to have problems" because it joined NATO.

Finland joined NATO in March 2023, after applying for membership in May 2022 following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview with state-run television, Putin promised that Russia would create a "Leningrad military district" on the border with Finland and concentrate forces there.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Dec. 19 that the U.S.-Finland bilateral defense cooperation deal signed on Dec. 18 will not go "unanswered."

The deal strengthens mutual defense ties and gives the U.S. access to 15 Finnish military facilities, including four air bases and one naval base.

"Finland knows almost better than anyone what is at stake for Ukraine. In 1939, the Finns also faced a Russian invasion and proved that a free nation can put up an incredibly powerful and resilient resistance," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Finland reports eastern border stable after re-closing crossing points

While Finland announced on Dec. 14 that it would reopen two crossing points, the government quickly reversed the decision, closing the entire eastern border from Dec. 15.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert