The United States of America and Finland Sign MOU to Expand on Countering Foreign Information Manipulation

FP Report

WASHINGTON DC: Today, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Finland on countering foreign state information manipulation.

Foreign state information manipulation, which includes disinformation and propaganda, is a transnational security threat that can create or exploit divisions within and among countries, imperil election integrity, and undermine public trust in government. In recognition of the threat to all democratic societies, the United States and Finland will expand information sharing about foreign disinformation, share best practices for countering it, and align policies along the five key action areas established in the U.S. Department of State’s Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation.

This memorandum of understanding, signed on the first anniversary of Finland’s accession to NATO, represents the expanding coalition of like-minded countries coming together to protect an open, fact-based, and resilient global information environment.

Blinken also said that this has been an extraordinary year, but really made all the more extraordinary by the accession of Finland and now Sweden to NATO, an Alliance that is stronger, bigger, more united than it’s ever been. Our own bilateral cooperation between Finland and the United States is at a historic high. Finland has also been unwavering in its support for Ukraine. We see that every single day.