HELSINKI, Finland — Finland has joined a French-led initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s nuclear deterrence, while ruling out the deployment of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory during peacetime.
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen announced the decision Monday, calling the initiative significant for European security and noting that Finland’s Nordic neighbors Norway, Sweden and Denmark had already joined.
“This is a natural step, as our close allies Norway, Sweden and Denmark have already joined the initiative,” Hakkanen said, according to Xinhua.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Finland’s participation was intended to reinforce Europe’s responsibility for its own defense and deter further escalation.
“The initiative is first and foremost about strengthening European security,” Stubb said in a post on X.
He stressed that the French initiative would not replace NATO’s nuclear deterrence arrangements, saying Finland’s main security priorities remained its commitments to NATO and the European Union.
Stubb also said Finland had no plans to station nuclear weapons on its territory in peacetime.
French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled the initiative, known as “forward deterrence,” in March as part of efforts to deepen nuclear cooperation with European partners.
Germany, Britain, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark were among the first countries to join. Norway later signed on, while Finland’s participation brings the total number of countries involved, including France, to 11.
Under the initiative, participating states may take part in deterrence exercises, while conventional forces could also be involved in activities linked to France’s nuclear forces.
France has also raised the possibility of temporarily deploying elements of its strategic air forces to allied countries, Xinhua reported.
Finland and France were also expected to sign a strategic partnership document in Helsinki covering security and defense, energy, climate, science, technology, trade and investment.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was in Helsinki following a meeting of European leaders in Rovaniemi hosted by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
With reports from Xinhua News Agency
