Starting points
Sweden has a strong position as Finland’s closest bilateral partner in defence cooperation. The cooperation between the countries builds on long historical ties, shared values, multidimensional contemporary ties and the widely integrated economies.
For the most part, Finland and Sweden evaluate their respective security environments from similar points of departure. Deepening foreign and security policy and defence cooperation with Sweden therefore serves Finland’s interests.
In recent years, the two countries have deepened bilateral defence cooperation. The changed security situation underlines the importance of Finnish-Swedish defence cooperation to strengthen the defence of both countries and ensure security in the Baltic Sea region. Finland will continue to deepen its defence cooperation with Sweden and the fact that both countries have decided to apply for membership in NATO opens up opportunities to develop cooperation in the future, also within the framework of the collective defence of the Alliance.
Finland and Sweden engage in close defence cooperation also outside the bilateral framework. An example of this is the trilateral Statement of Intent between Finland, Sweden and Norway, signed in September 2020, on deepening defence cooperation. In addition, Finland, Sweden and the United States conduct close trilateral cooperation.
Deepening defence cooperation between our two countries does not replace Finland’s other multinational or bilateral defence cooperation but complements it. Both Finland and Sweden work closely with their other international partners, too.
Objectives
The Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy (2021) and the Defence Policy Report (2022) outline Finland’s objectives for cooperation with Sweden. It is based on mutual trust and long-term work. Defence cooperation with Sweden aims at strengthening the security of the Baltic Sea region as well as the defence capacities of Finland and Sweden. Defence cooperation covers peacetime, times of crisis, conflicts and war. The Memorandum of Understanding (2018) on defence cooperation between the Governments of Finland and Sweden forms the framework for this cooperation.
The Finnish-Swedish defence cooperation covers operational planning in all situations. An example of this is the exercise of the right of collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Further areas of deeper cooperation include situation awareness, joint use of logistics and infrastructure, host nation support arrangements, surveillance and safeguarding of territorial integrity, and cooperation in the field of defence materiel and industry. Finland’s objective is to create permanent conditions for military cooperation and joint operations between Finland and Sweden, which will apply all circumstances. No restrictions are set in advance for intensified bilateral cooperation.
The planning, building and practising of interoperability during peacetime is intended to ensure that Finland and Sweden can together take pre-planned defensive action based on built capabilities in all conditions.
Cooperation in practice
At the practical level, defence cooperation is broad-based, and the two countries conduct actively joint exercises. The exercise cooperation between Finland and Sweden covers all services and the ministerial level. While the coronavirus pandemic brought about some changes in exercise activities, it has been possible to organise them for all services, including NORTHERN FOREST for the Army, SWENEX for the Navy, and ARCTIC CHALLENGE EXERCISE and ARCTIC FIGHTER MEET for the Air Force in the Nordic context.
Finland and Sweden exercise together on land, at sea and in the air. Photograph: Finnish Defence Forces
Because of the changed security situation, the timetable for deepening cooperation in areas of bilateral interest will be brought forward to the extent possible. Host nation support arrangements between Finland and Sweden are part of their deepened defence cooperation, and the current security situation has accelerated the development of the arrangements in 2022. Finland and Sweden signed a Memorandum of Understanding on host nation support in summer 2022. The countries currently study whether cooperation could be expanded to cover surveillance and safeguarding of territorial integrity.
