The agreement on additional assessment visits supplementing the Vienna document was last applied before the corona pandemic.
Russia will terminate the bilateral agreement between Finland and Russia on additional military assessment visits as of June 1. Russia informed Finland about this on Tuesday.
The agreement has agreed on one annual assessment visit by Russia to Finland and one assessment visit by Finland to the territory of Russia’s Leningrad Military District.
– This is an unfortunate continuation of Russia’s actions in relation to international agreements. It was a trust-inducing agreement, which now no longer exists. All connections are cut, says the head of the national defense unit, brigadier general Sami Nurmi from the Ministry of Defence.
The bilateral agreement concluded in 2000 has supplemented the Vienna Document agreed within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). According to the Vienna document, the participating states must share information with each other about, among other things, the development of their defense policy and the strength and location of their troops and equipment in Europe.
According to Nurmi, it is unfortunate that Russia is withdrawing from actions that inspire confidence.
– At least this does not increase that trust.
The agreement on additional assessment visits supplementing the Vienna document was last applied before the corona pandemic.
– The practical effects are currently small, because during the corona years and after the start of the war in Ukraine, inspections have not been carried out anyway, says Nurmi.
A total of 23 similar bilateral agreements have been agreed in the OSCE region. Finland also has one with Sweden.
Apart from Finland, Russia has not had any other bilateral agreements, but the country is nevertheless involved in two similar multilateral agreements in the Black Sea region.
Together with the international community, Finland has condemned Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, comprehensive implementation of the Vienna document should be returned without delay.