9 ay önce

Sweden, Finland, Switzerland eye US National Guard security links

The three countries signal Europe's growing interest in strengthening ties with the American military following Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

AP

The Presidents of the United States and Finland as well as the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden met in Helsinki earlier this month for the third US-Nordic Leaders’ Summit, during which the leaders reconfirmed their partnership and the intensifying co-operation between their countries. / Photo: AP Archive

Switzerland, Finland and Sweden are considering joining the US National Guard's security partnership programme to further expand American military ties across Europe after Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

The chief of the National Guard, General Dan Hokanson, was expected to announce the discussions with each country, which have not previously been reported, in remarks at the National Press Club on Thursday.

The Associated Press obtained an advance copy of Hokanson's speech.

Interest by the three countries in the programme is the latest indication of how Russia’s war has led each of those nations to take steps that consider ending long-standing policies of military nonalignment.

Finland and Sweden were the most recent countries to seek NATO membership; Finland joined in April and Sweden is waiting for approval. Longtime-neutral Switzerland began considering easing export controls on sending weapons to active war zones earlier this year.

The National Guard's State Partnership Program is a lesser-known but key military instrument for US troops to build relationships with foreign militaries by conducting regular training and education exchanges with young officers. It partners National Guard units with host nations.

The programme can help the foreign military better shape their own operations to reflect Western military organisation and equipment.

That is something seen as key to getting a host of Eastern European nations on NATO standards to ease how multinational armies could conduct operations.

Seeking protection under NATO

The National Guard programme began 30 years ago after the collapse of the Soviet Union as former Soviet states looked for ways to move away from their communist-styled military organisation.

Ukraine was one of the first to join the National Guard programme, partnering with California's National Guard.

From the earliest days of Russia's offensive, Ukraine's air force has reached out for support to the California National Guard partners it trained with.

Sweden and neighbour Finland ended their policy of military nonalignment after Russia began its offensive in Ukraine in February 2022. Both applied for NATO membership, seeking protection under the organisation’s security umbrella.

Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, had previously been delayed due to objections from Türkiye, which wants more effective counter-terrorism measures from Sweden. But earlier this month, Türkiye agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Türkiye had agreed to support Sweden’s NATO bid – by putting the issue to a vote in parliament - in return for deeper co-operation on security issues and a promise from Sweden to revive Türkiye’s quest for European Union membership.

The war in Ukraine has also prompted Swiss government officials to grapple with their country’s longtime conception of neutrality, which is enshrined in the constitution and prohibits exporting weaponry to active war zones.