Defence Minister: No plans for Finnish-Swedish defence alliance
Veteran politician Erkki Tuomioja told Hufvudstadsbladet that Sweden wants to create a cross-border defence body.
YLE NEWS
10.4. 04:09
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Updated 10.4. 06:44
Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen (Cen) on Sunday said Finland and Sweden were not planning to create their own defence alliance.
Kaikkonen's comments followed an article by Sweden's Svenska Dagbladet (siirryt toiseen palveluun) in which Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist downplayed a Hufvudstadsbladet (siirryt toiseen palveluun) story quoting MP Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) saying Hultqvist had suggested the formation of a Finnish-Swedish defence alliance as an alternative to the countries joining Nato.
Hultqvist told Svenska Dagbladet that such a proposal was not "on the table," adding that he would not comment on the contents of private conversations.
Tuomioja, a veteran Finnish politician and former foreign minister, vice chairs Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. He has not revealed his personal position on Finnish Nato membership.
https://yle.fi/news/3-12398566