Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen's keynote speech at Kouvola Security Conference on 12 September 2025

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen's keynote speech at Kouvola Security Conference on 12 September 2025

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for the warm welcome.

It is great to be back in Kouvola, and to see so many familiar faces in this important Security Conference.

Let me begin by highlighting, that events like Kouvola Security Conference are more important than ever. It is vital to share thoughts and information of our security in both wider global context and in more detailed dimensions.

In my speech I will focus on the operating environment of the Finland's defence and security in the NATO context.

However, I will start with some assessments of the big picture and the recent developments of international security and defence.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are living unstable times in global politics. A shift in the global balance of power is taking place.

During the last week significant efforts have been taken to end the war in Ukraine.

It is crystal clear that Europe, United States and Ukraine wants end to the war and peace. Russia seems to have no interest towards a peace or a cease fire.

In the big picture Russia is trying to build a global status. It is using wide range of tools from diplomacy and economics to military power and hybrid influencing.

China is expected to challenge United States as the world leader during the next decade. China holds massive potential of diplomatic, economic and military power.

China, Russia, Iran and North Korea have deepened their co-operation in the field of diplomacy, economics and military matters. They are also supporting Russia heavily in the war against Ukraine.

United States has clearly stated, that it is required to focus its influence and power towards the requirements of the indopacific region and China.

United States expects its European allies to take more responsibility of the Europe's security and defence. Finally, one could say.

This means that Europe must do more. Especially in the areas of defence and security. This means that we must do more.

It is vital, that we understand what all this means for us.

We should change our thinking and approach towards the international relations. I am certain that making assessments with methods based on the world before Russia's aggressions of 2014 and attack on Ukraine 2022, will lead nowhere.

We are forced to adapt a new approach to our common security and comprehensive security. Not only in Finland and in Europe, but also in a global context.

We are already seeing clear signs of this. European nations have agreed to increase our commitments towards security and defence. A fine example are the decisions taken in the NATO Summit this year. NATO member states are expected to use 5 % of gdp in defence and security.

The co-operation between European nations and indopacific partners is deepening. It includes more and more aspects of defence and security.

Continents and oceans are not dividing us. Instead they are connecting us and bringing us closer than ever.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Russia is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

In Ukraine, Russia has demonstrated its readiness to use extensive military force and to target vital functions of society and civilian populations to pursue its political goals.

Russia's war in Ukraine has revealed its readiness to take great risks despite losses, creating instability in Finland's neighbouring regions. This week's events in Poland highlight the dangerous nature of Russia.

Russian security thinking shows an ambition to achieve strategic depth and to create an unbroken buffer zone in Europe, reaching from the Arctic to the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea and on to the Mediterranean.

It has been constantly repeated, that Russia is able to continue the war for significant period of time in Ukraine.

However, Russia has failed in multiple fields and areas of the origins of nation's power. I will give you some examples of diplomatic, economic and military power.

Russia has lost majority of its power in the fields of diplomacy and foreign policy. Russia is not following the internationally agreed rules based order, and the agreements it has been part of.

Russia is not able to achieve its diplomatic goals as it was before its attack towards its neighbor Ukraine. Russia has lost its diplomatic power.

Russia has also lost its influence and power in economics. International community has launched strong sanctions towards Russia. It is not considered as a place for safe and reliable investments anymore. Russia's economic partners are starting to suffer from the sanctions as well.

The war has also showed some interesting assessments of Russia's military power. Russia has not achieved any of the military goals stated by Mr Putin.

We have all seen that Russia's war machine is not performing well. This underlines that Russia is not a global actor in the field of military power. It requires significant support from larger nations, such as China.

All this means that longer Russia is continuing its illegal aggression and war against Ukraine, the more it will lose. It also means that Russia's stance in the possible peace negotiations might not be as strong as previously stated.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me finalize by making some assessments of all this. Especially what all this means for Finland's security and defence.

Our security environment will remain difficult and unpredictable also in the long term.

This highlights the need for credible collective defence of the European eastern flank, not just for years to come, but decades to come.

In this regard the complementary work done in NATO and EU is taking us in the right direction. The 5 % goal is an important milestone, and it really helps the whole Europe to take more responsibility of our own security.

Frontline nations shoulder a big responsibility of keeping the eastern flank secure. However, collective defence is a team effort, and therefore all Allies and EU Member States need to urgently develop their defence capabilities.

Finland is doing its share of strengthening deterrence and defence.

Compared to the size of the nation, Finland has a strong national defence. We have created an optimized military defence of home land. This means that we have relatively large force structure of 280 000 trained soldiers.

Absolutely majority of these are reservists. With ongoing changes to the legislation, Finland will soon have almost a million trained reservists.

We also have a relatively large artillery. One of the largest in Europe.

Finland's defence includes multiple spearhead capabilities. Just to mention some as examples are space based capabilities, our joint air defence systems, air to ground and surface to land capabilities. Finland has also unique underwater systems and weapons.

All this is a result of long lasting and systematic development of the Finland's defence.

Many of the capabilities mentioned are trained in the garrisons located near the city of Kouvola - in the Karelian Brigade, Reserve Officers school or in the Utti Jaeger Regiment.

Finland is a part of NATO's deterrence and defence. Finland's terrain and forces are integrated to NATO's plans and defence.

This means that we have been able to operate with NATO forces in Finland and outside Finland. Naturally this is something we have been doing during the last decades in different operations and exercises.

This also means that Finland must be ready to host and operate with NATO forces in Finland.

Fine example of the NATO integration is that the Multi-Corps Land Component Command, MCLCC, has started to operate in the city of Mikkeli next to our Army Command.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Finland is the happiest country in the world for eight times in a row. There is something magical in our nation and thinking. We have achieved a lot.

I am confident, that together we are able to tackle the security challenges of the present and future.

I wish you all fruitful and beneficial stay in Kouvola.

Thank you.

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