Common Security and Defence Policy and defence cooperation in the European Union Defence cooperation in the European Union reinforces the defence capabilities of EU Member States, strengthens the basis of a European defence capability and consolid...

What is the Strategic Compass of the EU? The Strategic Compass guiding the EU’s security and defence cooperation was approved at the Foreign Affairs Council on 21 March 2022 by the EU’s defence and foreign ministers. The EU leaders endorsed the do...

Return to page Topical Finland’s chairmanship of NORDEFCO in 2025 In the past few years, the activities of NORDEFCO have been driven by the major changes in Europe’s security environment. Defence cooperation between the Nordic countries has increa...

Defence materiel and the defence industry Materiel policy and procurements The Ministry of Defence directs materiel policy in the administrative branch and steers key defence materiel projects. The aim of the defence administration's materiel poli...

Return to page Areas of expertise International defence cooperation The goal of international defence policy networking is to secure the defence capability with parties who are prepared to develop and use in cooperation their capabilities. Network...

21.1.2026 | Distribution and sale: Helsinki University Print Bookstore http://kirjakauppa.yliopistopaino.fi / [email protected] P.O. Box 4 (Vuorikatu 3 A) FI-00014 HELSINKI UNIVERSITY, FINLAND Tel +358 9 7010 2363 or 7010 2366 Fax +358 9 7010 2374 ISBN ...

Return to page International defence cooperation The Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) Defence cooperation between the five Nordic countries (NORDEFCO) has deepened considerably in recent years, especially due to Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO me...

13.11.2025 | North Savo Comprehensive Security Cluster Project Lead, PhD Harriet Lonka, North Savo Regional Council “Nordic co-operation in the new world order” MTS Nordic Conference in Kuopio 22.-24.9.2025 My background ▪ PhD in Legislative Studies 2016 Gover...

21.1.2026 | Prime Minister’s Office: Publications 18/2004 PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2004 Government report 6/2004 VNS 6/2004 vp Government report 6/2004 Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2004 Prime Minister's Office: Public...

23.4.2026 | ​​​​​​​On 23 April 2024, the Finnish Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to amend the Nuclear Energy Act and the Criminal Code. The Government proposes to remove the legal barriers on importing nuclear devices into Finland and on transporting, supplying or possessing them in Finland in the context of Finland’s homeland defence, the collective defence of NATO or defence cooperation.

28.1.2026 | On 10 December 2024, the Finnish Ministry of Defence set up a project to examine the need to amend the Act on the Expropriation of Immovable Property and Special Rights to Ensure National Security and related legislation. The objective was to draw an overview of how the current legislation should be amended to ensure fair and effective safeguarding of real estate critical to national security.

International conventions This section contains in chronological order public international agreements, memorandums of understanding, framework arrangements and statements of intent concerning defence administration. The technical arrangement betw...

Russian attack on Ukraine and Finland's support to Ukraine Russia launched an invasion against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Finland strongly condemns Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and unequivocally supports Ukraine’s independence, sovereign...

Return to page Areas of expertise Finland’s membership in NATO Finland’s security environment was fundamentally altered when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Based on a reassessment of the security policy situation, Finlan...

21.1.2026 | Comprehensive Security in Finland – Centre of Excellence 23.09.2025 Asko Muhonen Senior Specialist, Colonel (ret) City of Kuopio Finland Key Aspects of The Finnish Concept A Whole-of-Society Approach: A model, in which the vital functions of socie...

21.1.2026 | Total Defense, Interdependency and Vulnerability in Modern Societies Per Brekke DSB Have overview of risks and vulnerability in society and take initiatives to prevent and protect health, the environment and vital societal functions… Societal Safe...

21.1.2026 | Postiosoite Käyntiosoite Sähköposti WWW-sivut MATINE Puolustusministeriö, PL 31 00131 HELSINKI Eteläinen Makasiinikatu 8, 00130 HELSINKI [email protected] www.defmin.fi/matine Puhelinvaihde Pääsihteeri Suunnittelusihteeri Toimistosihteeri 0295 1600...

21.1.2026 | NORDEFCO Annual Report 2023 Contents Foreword 3 Nordic Defence Cooperation at the policy level 4 Military Coordination Committee activities 9 Denmark’s chairmanship of NORDEFCO 2024 13 Sweden held the NORDEFCO chairmanship in 2023 and this report ...

Defence cooperation agreement with the United States In August 2022, Finland decided to start negotiations with the United States on a new bilateral defence cooperation agreement (DCA). The DCA is a binding international agreement that sets forth ...

21.1.2026 | 0 Russian Army in 2014 and Western Military District Andrey Frolov, Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) , 2014 Russian army, general data Russia is the second world military power taking into account its strategic arsenal an...