Finland will not deploy US nuclear weapons on its soil: Premier

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said his country sees "no need" in placing US nuclear weapons on its territory.

"There is no need for this (deployment of US nuclear weapons in Finland) because NATO itself provides nuclear deterrence," Orpo said in an interview with Rzeczpospolita, a Polish newspaper.

According to him, the nuclear weapons already deployed in several NATO countries are sufficient to deter potential threats.

The prime minister also pointed out that the Nordic country is "preparing" and will be relying on "conventional weapons."

In December, the Finnish government signed a defense military agreement with the US to strengthen its defense in case of conflict.

Under the agreement, the US will have unrestricted access to 15 facilities in Finland and where it can also store military equipment and ammunition.

However, the government confirmed even then that the deal does not override Finnish legislation, which forbids the storage and transportation of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory.

Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) long border with Russia, became the latest NATO member on April 4, 2023, after Russia began its "special military operation" in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

The Nordic country's NATO membership drew criticism from the Kremlin, with Russian President Vladimir Putin accusing the West of "dragging" Finland into the military alliance and creating a rift between Moscow and Helsinki.

The United States has been deploying its nuclear weapons in Europe since the mid-1950s as part of the Nuclear Sharing Program.