Def Min Says Gov't May Send Tanks To Ukraine, Risks Russia Tensions

Wires carrying comments from interim Finnish Defence Minister Mikko Savola stating that the Finnish gov't may send tanks to Ukraine. However, he adds that the country cannot make a big contribution, saying that "We are not yet a NATO member and we can't jeoipardise our own defence." Savola does not make any comment on the size of the contribution, and indeed states that if tanks are sent the gov't will keep it a secret.

• The fact that Finland is not yet a NATO member and has an 830 mile border with Russia makes the country notably vulnerable to Russian attack. While this is improbable, given security assurances provided by the US and UK, until the accession process is complete Finland will not be under the Article 5 collective defence pact of NATO.
• Russia has warned that any Western nation sending main battle tanks to Ukraine would be a serious provocation. So far, the countries that have discussed this are all NATO members (Germany, UK, US, Poland, Spain, Canada, Portugal, Netherlands). However, if a bordering state that does not hold NATO membership sends tanks then Moscow could argue that state has entered into direct conflict with Russia, raising the risk of a military conflagration.