Def Min-No Jets To Ukraine; NATO Accession Could Be In Weeks

Wires carrying comments from Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen states that Ukraine has officially requested Finland donate US-made McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, but that 'We need the Hornets for years ourselves, but will respond in due time', adds that this means 'within weeks'. Says that 'I view negatively the idea of donating Hornets to Ukraine in the coming years.'

• Confirms that President Sauli Niinisto has approved a 14th defence aid package, which includes an additional three German-made Leopard II tanks.
• Kakkonen: Finland has finished its national process of ratifying its NATO membership...Our NATO accession could be accomplished within weeks in the best-case scenario.
• Finnish politics dominated at present by the election campaign, with PM Sanna Marin's centre-left coalition gov't facing a difficult task in retaining power amid rising poll numbers for the main opposition centre-right National Coalition Party (Kok). Even in the event Kok forms a gov't with the right-wing nationalist Finns Party, a shift in stance on NATO membership or support for Ukraine is unlikely, with all parties (even the socialist Left Alliance) stating they back Finland joining NATO.