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The United States plans to move military gear through Estonia in preparation for the Arrow 23 exercises with Finland, which recently joined NATO. This scheduling was reported by the Embassy of the United States in Tallinn.

According to the communication, the US Army 2nd Armored Brigade Battalion Combat Team will oversee the transport of equipment through Estonia and then ship it from the port of Tallinn to Helsinki. This operation will involve a broad mix of armored forces and support units to ensure readiness and rapid deployment if needed.

In addition to the equipment movement, the redeployed units are expected to include nearly an entire armored combined arms battalion, featuring Abrams main battle tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, all organized to maximize interoperability with Finnish forces during Arrow 23. [Source: Embassy United States, Tallinn attribution]

Separately, there had been discussions about whether Finland’s NATO accession could influence the demilitarized status of the Åland Islands. Historical treaties dating back to 1856 have preserved a demilitarized arrangement for Åland, but some Finnish policymakers have voiced interest in reevaluating that status in light of evolving regional security dynamics. This topic was covered by the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat and reflects ongoing debates among political leaders in the region. [Cited reporting: Ilta-Sanomat attribution]