Finland is joining France's nuclear deterrence initiative, the two countries said in a joint statement on Monday, adding that a steering group would be set up in the coming months to begin implementing the cooperation.
The initiative underlines Europe's responsibility for its own defence and helps to prevent escalation, wrote Finnish President Alexander Stubb on X. It does not replace NATO's nuclear deterrent, he added.
Stubb also stated that Finland does not intend to station nuclear weapons on its territory in peacetime.
The offer to cooperate on nuclear deterrence was made by French President Emmanuel Macron in March. Specifically, Macron held out the prospect that partners could take part in French nuclear exercises.
Furthermore, he said, strategic assets could be temporarily deployed to allied countries.
Cooperation with France is intended to complement and strengthen NATO's deterrence.
However, Macron stressed that the ultimate decision on the use of nuclear weapons would remain with the French president.
Germany, the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark have all joined the initiative, with Norway expected to join later. Apart from the UK, France is the only Western European country to possess nuclear weapons.