Finland, Denmark unveil plans for enhanced defence partnership

Finland and Denmark have announced plans to intensify their defence cooperation, with a focus on joint procurement, military exercises, and broader security collaboration.

The announcement was made by the two countries' defence ministers during a joint press conference, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, who is currently visiting Finland, stated that closer cooperation could include shared defence initiatives, such as joint procurement of military equipment and coordinated military exercises. "Closer cooperation could mean, for example, joint procurement and exercises," Poulsen remarked.

The two ministers also addressed the issue of Finland potentially selling icebreakers to the United States, a topic raised by US President Donald Trump. Poulsen expressed Denmark's willingness to support Finland in this regard, highlighting the importance of regional and international collaboration on security matters.

Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen emphasized the country’s significant investment in its military capabilities, noting that Finland is set to invest over ten billion euros in upgrading its land defence equipment and weapons over the next decade. "We are investing more than ten billion euros in equipment and weapons for land defence," Häkkänen said.

The ministers also highlighted the broader importance of strengthening not only bilateral defence cooperation between Finland and Denmark but also collaboration within the Nordic region, as well as at the European and NATO levels. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collective security efforts, recognizing the changing security landscape in Europe and the need for closer coordination among allies.

By Vafa Guliyeva