Relationship dossier
Finland
United States
Relationship assessment
Close security partnership strengthened by NATO membership, F-35 procurement and a bilateral defense agreement
Finland toward United States
+75Finland selected U.S.-made F-35 fighter aircraft in 2021 and joined NATO in 2023, deepening its security alignment with the United States. Finland also signed a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States in 2023.
United States toward Finland
+75The United States supported Finland's NATO accession and signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement with Finland in 2023, establishing a framework for expanded U.S. military access and activities in Finland.
Overall relationship
+75The relationship is anchored in shared NATO membership and substantial bilateral defense cooperation. Finland's F-35 procurement and the 2023 Defense Cooperation Agreement provide concrete, durable links, while the agreement creates a framework for an expanded U.S. military presence and cooperation in Finland.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Finland and the United States maintain a close, sustained security partnership. Finland joined NATO in 2023 and selected U.S.-made F-35 aircraft for its next-generation fighter fleet. The two governments signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2023, providing a framework for expanded U.S. military access and activities in Finland. These arrangements reinforce longstanding cooperation and place the relationship within the NATO alliance.
Key developments
Finland selected the U.S.-made F-35 as its next-generation fighter aircraft.
Finland joined NATO, becoming an ally of the United States.
Finland and the United States signed a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement.
The bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement entered into force.
Major uncertainties
- The long-term implementation and scope of the Defense Cooperation Agreement may evolve.
- The future scale of bilateral defense and industrial cooperation is uncertain.