Govt approves report for strengthening Finland's defence

The government on Thursday approved the Government Defence Report, which outlined to strengthen Finland's defence to meet the demands of the threat environment.

The report, which is the third ever Government Defence Report and the first published since Finland joined NATO, will be submitted to Parliament, said the Ministry of Defence in a press release.

"The years ahead will be strongly characterised by preparedness. We will continue to strengthen Finland's defence. This will be based on four pillars: homeland defence capability, NATO's deterrence and defence, defence cooperation, and total defence," Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen said.

The Defence Report stated that Russia has stepped towards a more open, unpredictable and protracted confrontation with the West. Russia will continue to pose a long-term security threat to Europe and Finland. Finland is on NATO's external border.

As such, it is important that Finland takes care of its own defence capability as part of the Alliance and that the Alliance's deterrence and defence meets the demands of the threat environment.

"We will strengthen Finland's ability to counter broad-spectrum influencing, resist military pressure and fight potential large-scale wars that could drag on for years. We will reform national defence while also bringing the major ongoing projects in our Air Force and Navy to the finish line. We will create conditions for implementing the Alliance's collective defence in Finland. Military service, a large reserve, and a strong will to defend the nation will remain the foundation on which Finland's defence is built. Finland's principle of total defence means that our defence relies on strong support from society," Häkkänen said.

According to the Defence Report, Finland's membership in NATO has raised deterrence. Finland is supported by the forces and capabilities of the entire Alliance, including its nuclear deterrence as a last resort.

"Finland will continue to sustain and develop its strong defence capability in all security situations. It is the core of everything we do, and we will not compromise on it. At the same time, Finland's defence is an integral part of NATO's collective defence. We will plan, exercise and prepare our defence together with our allies," Häkkänen added.

The Ministry of Defence has led the preparation of the Government Defence Report since autumn 2023 in consultation with a cross-government working group.

The process has also involved close cooperation with a parliamentary monitoring group for over a year.