[…] Being part of NATO, Finland, like all other allies, is expected to actively partake in NATO’s collective defense during times of peace. These duties encompass air surveillance activities in nations including the Baltic countries, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania, and occasionally Iceland. Further responsibilities include enhanced forward presence (EFP) forces in the Baltic states, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia as well. The Minister stated that the decisions involving the scale, type and location of Finnish troops will be finalized in the fall while the proposal is still under preparation at the Ministry of Defense.
The Minister emphasized the need for Finland to balance its NATO obligations with its national duty of securing its 1,300 km border with Russia. He underscored the unique structure of the Finnish Defense Forces, which primarily relies on the Army and reservist forces, differing from nations that drive their military strength from professional soldiers. Häkkänen stated that while Finland’s Army and reservist forces are more difficult to deploy at a distance, the nation’s Air Force and naval units are more easily operational overseas. These pre-existing conditions are expected to impact the decisions that will be made for Finland’s defense approach. Läs artikel