Finland has participated in UN-led peacekeeping operations since 1956. In the 1990s, operations were expanded to cover other international crisis management tasks and non-UN-led operations.

During almost 30 years of NATO partnership cooperation, Finland has developed its own defence, its own capabilities and its interoperability with NATO in many ways. Although NATO membership will affect Finland’s international security and defence policy cooperation and priorities, no major or sudden changes are expected.

According to a Government Report, Finland’s NATO membership will raise the threshold for the use of military force in the Baltic Sea region and will increase stability there. Finland’s strong defence and crisis resilience is also considered to strengthen NATO and the alliance’s collective defence. Finland is part of NATO’s collective defence and is therefore subject to NATO’s security guarantees under Article 5.

The cornerstone of EU defence cooperation is the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), which is part of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the EU’s external relations. The nature of EU defence cooperation has changed because of changes in the security environment. The EU Treaty contains a mutual assistance clause that obliges member states to provide substantial assistance to each other and supports member states in preventing threats.

Important issues for Finland in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy include the development of rapid reaction forces and capability cooperation in order to avoid overlapping and inefficient defence materiel procurement. Finland participates in key cooperation projects, such as the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the defence planning review process and the European Defence Fund project. The EU can also contribute to security of supply by harmonising defence industrial markets. Finland has participated in almost all EU crisis management operations. The Finnish Defence Forces also participate in European Defence Agency (EDA) projects.

Due to Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership, Nordic security and defence cooperation is expected to deepen further. Until now, the Nordic countries have sought military compatibility and closer cooperation in training, materiel procurement and crisis management operations. One of the objectives has been the Nordic countries’ strategic and operational interoperability for crisis situations.

Read more in the menu Nordic defence cooperation (link).

Read more in the menu Defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden (link).