Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/ HELSINKI: Finland announced on Friday a 400-million-euro military aid package to Ukraine, its most significant to date, including heavy artillery and munitions but no Leopard tanks.
Defense Minister Mikko Savola said that Ukraine continues requested to need support in defending its territory. Special adviser Miikka Pynnonen told the AFP that the ministry did not disclose more information on the contents of the package but also said that the aid did not include modern Leopard battle tanks.
This is the Nordic country’s 12th package of defense material to Ukraine. The last 11 had a combined value of 190 million euros. “Ukraine continues to need support in defending its territory,” Defense Minister Mikko Savola said in a statement. The ministry did not disclose more detailed information on the contents of the package but said the aid did not include Leopard battle tanks, special adviser Miikka Pynnonen told AFP.
Finland stance on Ukraine war
The ministry said that Finland would sign a so-called Statement of Intent with Sweden on support for Ukraine to ensure the fund “would not endanger the national defense of the two states.”
The statement said that “Finland supplies defense materiel to Ukraine, and Sweden expresses its readiness to support Finland as necessary,”.
Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that “We hope that this decision (to deliver Leopards) could be made real, and Finland is ready to play its part in that support,”.
