United States President Joe Biden's administration has approved a potential $323 million arms sale to Finland, a European country that shares a border with Russia, amid rising tensions in the invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday, the Biden administration informed Congress of its approval of the potential sale of tactical missiles and Joint Stand Off Weapons, a notice by the US State Department read. The notice wrote that the sale aims to improve Finland's air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons capabilities.
US Weapons Sale to Finland
The U.S. government added that the weapons would positively impact US relations with countries found in the Nordic region. They said that Finland intends to use the defensive equipment and services for its fighter aircraft fleet. Officials noted that Finland will most likely have no difficulty incorporating the new equipment into its armed forces, as per CNN.
The State Department said that the proposed sale of tactical weapons to Finland would support the foreign policy and national security of the US by improving the security of a trusted global partner. Officials said that this is an important tool for political stability and economic progress in Europe.
Furthermore, the department's notice argued that it was crucial to the national interest of the United States to assist Finland in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.
According to The Hill, the proposal comes as the Biden administration has approved several other high-value weapons sales to European countries this year. The efforts come amid an attempt to bolster NATO's defense capabilities along the military alliance's eastern flank and support its partner countries in the face of Russian aggression.
Military Assistance
Prior to Moscow's waging of war against Ukraine in February, the United States gave preliminary approval for a sale worth $6 billion in battle tanks and other equipment to Poland. Earlier this July, the State Department approved a package of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers for Estonia that are worth roughly $500 million.
Norway, earlier this month, signed an unprecedented $500 million arms sale with the United States that involves missiles designed to be mounted on F-35 fighter jets. A few days after, the State Department also approved roughly $700 million in potential foreign military sales to other countries, namely Belgium, Lithuania, and Switzerland.
The proposal comes as the United States recently provided Ukraine with a $400 million aid package to support the European country's fight against Russia. The weapons package includes 150 heavy machine guns with special thermal-imagery sights to help shoot down self-destructing drones as well as ammunition for an air defense system known as the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).
Ukraine has continuously increased its requests for more weapons from Western nations as Moscow presses the nation with missile and drone strikes. The attacks focused on Kyiv's power plants, substations, and waterworks.
The attacks degraded the quality of life for millions of Ukrainian civilians amid Russia's efforts to demoralize them and their military protectors. The tactic is used as Moscow is slowly losing ground in the war, with the latest having to withdraw its troops from the city of Kherson, the New York Times reported.
Related Article : Kherson Evacuates Civilians Despite Ukrainian Win as Russia's Bombings Leave City Nearly Unlivable
