Sweden, Finland and Switzerland are considering security links with US National Guard

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Finland and Sweden are considering joining the US National Guard's security partnership program in a further expansion of American military ties across Europe after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The chief of the National Guard, Gen. Dan Hokanson, was expected to announce the discussions with each country, which have not previously been reported, in remarks at the National Press Club on Thursday.

The Associated Press obtained an advance copy of Hokanson's speech. Interest by the three countries in the program is the latest indication of how Russia's war has led each of those nations to take steps that consider ending long-standing policies of military nonalignment. Finland and Sweden were the most recent countries to seek NATO membership; Finland joined in April and Sweden is waiting for approval.

Longtime-neutral Switzerland began considering easing export controls on sending weapons to active war zones earlier this year. The National Guard's State Partnership Program is a lesser-known but key military instrument for US troops to build relationships with foreign militaries by conducting regular training and education exchanges with young officers. It partners National Guard units with host nations.

The program can help foreign military better shape their own operations to reflect Western military organization and equipment. That is something seen as key to getting a host of Eastern European nations on NATO standards to ease how multinational armies could conduct operations. The National Guard program began 30 years ago after the collapse of the Soviet Union as former Soviet states looked for ways to move away from their communist-styled military organization.