15.4.2026 | The Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), coordinating materiel support for Ukraine, held a video conference on Wednesday 15 April 2026.

28.2.2025 | Permanent Secretary Pulkkinen to visit United States Ministry of Defence Publication date 28.2.2025 14.11 Type: Press release Permanent Secretary of Finland’s Ministry of Defence Esa Pulkkinen will pay a working visit to the United States on 2–6 M...

19.5.2024 | Försvarsminister Häkkänen besöker Förenta staterna försvarsministeriet Utgivningsdatum 19.5.2024 15.00 Typ: Pressmeddelande Försvarsminister Antti Häkkänen besöker Förenta staterna den 20-23 maj 2024 I Washington DC ska försvarsminister Häkkänen t...

21.5.2024 | Finland och Förenta staterna undertecknade en avsiktsförklaring om specialtruppsamarbete försvarsministeriet Utgivningsdatum 21.5.2024 20.28 Typ: Pressmeddelande Finland och Förenta staterna undertecknade den 21 maj 2024 i Washington DC en avsikts...

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.

20.11.2025 | Permanent Secretary of Finland’s Ministry of Defence Esa Pulkkinen will visit Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in Norfolk in the United States on Friday 21 November 2025.

5.9.2025 | Permanent Secretary Pulkkinen to South Korea and Japan Ministry of Defence Publication date 5.9.2025 13.05 Type: Press release Permanent Secretary of Finland’s Ministry of Defence Esa Pulkkinen will pay a working visit to South Korea and Japan fro...

17.9.2025 | Permanent Secretary Pulkkinen: Cooperation between like-minded countries is increasingly important in the current security situation Ministry of Defence Publication date 17.9.2025 10.27 Type: Press release Permanent Secretary of Finland’s Ministry...

3.12.2025 | Brigadier General Matti Honko, an officer of the Finnish Defence Forces, will serve on special assignment as adviser to the commander of the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army as of 1 December 2025.

Members 2023 - CHAIRPERSON: MP Jarno Limnéll (NCP) DEPUTY CHAIRPERSONS AND THEIR PERSONAL DEPUTIES: Assistant to a MP Marika Sorja (TF) (Master of laws, assistant to a MP Ismo Nöjd (TF)) MP Tuula Väätäinen (SDP) (Head of communications Miia Järvi ...

18.4.2024 | In its plenary session on Thursday 18 April, the Government appointed Pasi Rajala, Master of Social Sciences, and Antti Salminen, Information Systems Auditor, to serve as state secretaries. Pasi Rajala will serve as State Secretary to Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen and Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, and Antti Salminen as State Secretary to Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman.

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...

6.7.2023 | In its plenary session on 6 July, the Government appointed Master of Social Sciences Lauri Tierala as State Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen and Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen. His term of office will begin on 6 July and continue for the duration of the Ministers' term of office.

Excerpts from the History of the Ministry of Defence The building of the Ministry of Defence of Finland in the year 1983. Photo: Helsinki City Museum / Lauri Putkonen With the decree issued on 14 June 1918, the War Department was established in th...

16.10.2023 | Permanent Secretary Pulkkinen to participate in defence industry's trade mission to the United States Ministry of Defence Publication date 16.10.2023 9.13 Type: Press release Permanent Secretary Esa Pulkkinen from the Ministry of Defence will part...

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...

19.5.2024 | Minister of Defence Häkkänen to visit the United States Ministry of Defence Publication date 19.5.2024 15.00 Type: Press release Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen will visit the United States in 20-23 May 2024. In Washington DC, Ministe...

10.10.2022 | Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Defence Esa Pulkkinen to visit United States Ministry of Defence Publication date 10.10.2022 11.02 Type: Press release Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Esa Pulkkinen will make a working visit to the...

11.1.2022 | Britain’s Secretary of State for Defence to visit Finland Ministry of Defence Publication date 11.1.2022 16.00 Type: Press release Britain’s Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace visits Finland on 12 January. During his meeting with Minister ...

3.5.2022 | UK Secretary of State for Defence to meet with Minister of Defence Kaikkonen Ministry of Defence Publication date 3.5.2022 19.17 Type: Press release Britain’s Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace visits Finland and meets Minister of Defence ...