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Finnish Defence Minister Discusses Security Challenges in Washington, DC

Minister Häkämies calls for a new approach to Russia's global role and more effective cooperation between the European Union and NATO.

      
Defence Minister Jyri Häkämies at CSIS.
The Finnish Minister of Defence, Jyri Häkämies, discussed Finland's security and defence policies on Thursday in Washington, D.C. as part of his three-day visit to the United States. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a foreign policy think tank, the minister emphasized Russia's increasing role in both Finland's and the global community's security. Among other major themes, he discussed Finnish troops' participation in international peace-keeping missions and the need to improve military cooperation between the European Union and NATO.

While most countries are abandoning the concept of territorial defence, discarding mass armies by conscription and turning to NATO with their security concerns, Finland is doing exactly the opposite, the minister said. He referred to Finland's defence strategy as "three concentric circles": the international level, on which the country takes part in peace-keeping missions around the world; the European level, on which Finland is involved in EU- and NATO-led operations; and the national level, where the country maintains a strong, independent defence.

"In sum, the Finnish forces are actively participating in peace-keeping and peace-support operations abroad. At the same time, we are making sure that our powder is dry to defend the country should our territorial integrity or the nation's very existence become under threat", Mr. Häkämies said.

      
According to the minister, Finland is privileged to be located in one of the safest corners of the world. However, given the country's geographical position, he described Finland's three main security challenges to be "Russia, Russia and Russia".

Häkämies stated that it was clear that Russia, supported by substantial revenues from oil and gas, will soon be a major world player again. Nonetheless, he said, it would a mistaken conclusion that the new Russia poses a threat to Finland's security.

"What it means, first and foremost, is that those who at the end of the Cold War were eager to proclaim that the era of geopolitics was over in the North of Europe were just plain wrong. Geopolitics is back, and it's back with force", the minister said. He added that Finland sees Russia as an opportunity, not only as a challenge.

"We should be smart about how we draw Russia in to be a responsible player and partner in our part of the world. Perhaps easier said than done, but for us in Helsinki there really is no other choice."

      
The defence minister also discussed the role of Finnish peace-keeping troops in Afghanistan, a topic that has recently been widely debated in the Finnish media. Mr. Häkämies said a strong and resolute presence of military forces continues to be needed to provide stability to Afghanistan.

"But we should be very careful at how long we want to carry that burden. Our basic aim should be to bring security, good governance, rule of law and economic growth to Afghanistan. This will not be done by adding more soldiers; for this we need a division of doctors, engineers, lawyers and school teachers."

Mr. Häkämies also reminded his audience that per capita, Finland is one of the highest contributors in NATO peace-support operations. Out of the total of more than 850 troops the country is deploying abroad at the moment, about 500 are operating under the NATO flag. Because Finland is contributing to both the EU and NATO crisis management capabilities, it is vital that EU and NATO will be able to work together efficiently.

"The EU and NATO will just have to be able to find a way of working together better than they have done so far", he concluded.