Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 9 March 2024
Defense alliance NATO military exercise in the north.
The topic of the news week this time is NATO’s military exercise in the north. In the northern parts of Finland, Norway and Sweden, a large military exercise by the defense alliance NATO is underway. Now we will tell you more about the military exercise.
Big military exercise
Defense alliance NATO is now having a big military exercise. NATO is training to defend Northern Europe.
More than 20,000 soldiers from different countries are participating in the exercise. There are more than 4,000 Finnish soldiers.
Military training is particularly important for Finland. NATO is now training to defend Finland as well, because Finland has become a NATO member.
The military exercise started in northern Norway, and from there it has progressed to the regions of northern Finland and northern Sweden. The military exercise will continue until mid-March.
Stubb in a military exercise
The President of Finland Alexander Stubb has visited a NATO military exercise. Stubb got to know the military exercise together with the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støren.
President Stubb does not believe that Russia intends to attack Finland. NATO’s military exercise shows Russia that it is not even worth attacking here, Stubb said.
The leaders of Finland and Norway called Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson about the military exercise on Thursday. They congratulated Kristersson that Sweden officially became a member of NATO that day.
NATO expansion
The defense alliance NATO has grown rapidly in the north. The reason is Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
Already 3 months after the attack, Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership. They estimate that membership in NATO improves their security.
Finland became a NATO member last year, and Sweden became a NATO member this week. Now they are already involved in practicing NATO’s joint defense.
Repeat
The topic of the news week was NATO’s military exercise in the north. Let’s repeat the most important things.
The defense alliance NATO has a large military exercise in which the defense of Northern Europe is practiced.
Finland also participates in the exercise together with other NATO countries.
President Alexander Stubb visited a NATO military exercise.
President Stubb congratulated Sweden because Sweden’s NATO membership is now confirmed.
This was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish, see you again. Goodbye!