Puolustusministeri Antti Häkkäsen puhe Cyber Security Nordic -tilaisuudessa

Puolustusministeri Antti Häkkäsen puhe Cyber Security Nordic -tilaisuudessa

Puolustusministeri Antti Häkkäsen englanninkielinen puhe 4.11.2025 Cyber Security Nordic -tilaisuudessa Helsingin Messukeskuksessa.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great honour to address you all today.

It is fantastic to see so many experts of Cyber domain here in Finland.

Regardless of the very London type of weather outside, you are all most warmly welcomed to Helsinki.

In my speech I will give my assessments of the Cyber threat that we are facing. I will also highlight some key elements of Finland's approach to tackle these challenges.

However, I will start from the bigger picture of Finland's Security Environment.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the European continent is witnessing a large-scale war. Russia aggressive and unlawful military attack on Ukraine is close to its third-year milestone.

United States seeks to retain its position as the leading great power. US is committed to defending Europe. Its long-term strategy is to respond to the challenge of China in the indo-pacific region.

United States not only expects European countries to share the burden of European security, but US is also expecting European nations to collaborate with the United States in the strategic competition.

China strives to enhance its global influence by creating economic, political and technological dependencies. Geographically this includes Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, and the Indo-Pacific.

China's ambitions and policies challenge the interests, security and values of NATO Allies and EU Member States.

China employs a broad range of tools to increase its influence. These tools include measures such as illegal intelligence and industrial espionage, infrastructure investments, coercive trade policy, cyber and space capabilities. Chine is also exploiting emerging and disruptive technologies.

China is in the process of modernising its armed forces and increasing the capacity of its nuclear arsenal. China's view seems to be to become a great military power by mid-century.

China has increased its military cooperation with Russia.

Russia's goal is to re-establish the division of Europe into spheres of influence by increasing its own influence. Russia in willing to use military force to achieve its goals.

Russia's behaviour is endangering peace and stability throughout the Euro-Atlantic area.

Russia is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. This threat is assessed to uphold in long time span.

Russia in receiving significant military, economic and diplomatic support from countries such as China, North Korea and Iran. This makes Russia more dangerous and is enabling Russian to continue its unlawful war against Ukraine.

European nations have taken rapid and decisive actions towards the changes of our security environment. These measures include e.g. a larger interest towards total defence -type of approach.

All Nato member states have agreed to make a significant increase in their defence spending. For Europe this means we are taking more responsibility of our own defence.

My assessment is that Nato's deterrence and defence will be stronger than ever during the post-cold war period.

Finland's security is based on whole governmental approach. This approach is called comprehensive security. In our model all sectors and actors have a vital role in our security.

In practise this means that security requires contributions from single citizen's, industry, and busyness, third sector organizations and from different ministries. Everybody has a role.

Finland is located on NATO's eastern border. Being part of both the Baltic Sea region and the Arctic makes Finland's location significant.

Finland's eastern border is half of Nato's border with Russia.

Finland will sustain and develop its capability to counter broad-spectrum influencing, resist any kind of military pressure and fight large-scale wars by using national resources and as part of NATO.

All this underlines that Finland is a regional security provider and taking active role in the defence of the Northern Flank in Nato.

Secondly it underlines that Finland, and our expertise is highly trusted and followed in the Alliance. Our assessments and detailed proposal received strong support from other defence ministers, Nato headquarters and allied military leaders.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As mentioned, our security environment has changed significantly. The change in the cyber environment has not been isolated from it. Prevailing unpeace is even further from peace, especially in the digital environment.

The possible end of the war in Ukraine will not change this. The threat level has continuously increased since Russia launched its large-scale attack against Ukraine.

When the war in Ukraine ceases, Russia will be able to redirect its battle-hardened cyber capabilities currently tied to Ukraine also against Finland and Allies.

Unfortunately state based actors are not the only one's threatening Finland and our allies. Non-state actors and criminal organisations have the capability to endanger out national security or citizens' sense of security.

Threats have become increasingly diverse. The cyber environment is used widely in hybrid influencing efforts, crime, terrorism and warfare, also under the threshold of armed conflict.

The digitalisation of society creates new kinds of opportunity for state-sponsored operators to hamper vital functions of society, democratic institutions, businesses, and individuals.

Cyber threats do not only affect the digital or physical realm.

In many cases the aim of our adversaries is to seek effect in the information environment and to cause affects to people's feeling of security.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Cyber security is a one of the fundamental aspects of Finland's comprehensive security and total defence approaches.

I already highlighted the Comprehensive security model. Next, I will describe our concept of Total defence.

In a nutshell it means that if required all the capabilities of the society, private sector and citizens can be converted to support homeland defence.

In cyber this could mean, that the industrial potential is mainly supporting the military defence of the nation. In this scenario, key goals of the cyber defence and operations are protecting the critical defence capabilities.

My assessment is that we can identify multiple aspects of this kind of total defence thinking in the cyber context in the brave defence of Ukraine.

We Finns understand the associated threats to the cyber domain and towards society.

Finland detects, identifies, combats, and withstands cybersecurity incidents, recovers from them, and responds to incidents decisively. We also promote cybersecurity actively and purposefully through close national and international cooperation.

In more detail, Finland's national approach is divided to four pillars.

Pillar number one includes competence, technology, research, development, and Innovations. Cyber security competence is strong at all levels of education and training, and of society and work.

In other words, this means, that competence is the key to any kind of operations or development.

In the framework of Comprehensive security, it is vital, that everyone recognises their own responsibility for cybersecurity.

This also highlights that Cybersecurity knowledge capital is protected. As an example, Finland is aiming self sufficiency in critical cryptographic technology.

It is important that opportunities for cooperation and funding through the EU and NATO are fully applied.

This event here in Helsinki is a fine example of pillar number one. Pillar number two is preparedness and cyber resilience.

One of the key aspects of Finland's security is that we are well prepared. Being prepared is something that we Finns have in our minds set and in our spine.

We sometimes call this as "what if" thinking. The 1300 km border with our eastern neighbour and 600 years of history of the threats coming from the east, has underlined the importance of that.

Being prepared includes individuals, businesses, organisations, and public authorities. All of them must be prepared for cyber incidents and threats.

This requires shared situational awareness and long-term resourcing and commitment.

Environments and practices are developed for cybersecurity exercises, with more exercises conducted between various sectors.

In a nutshell, the competence is the key to all operations and development. I would describe the preparedness as the foundation stone of any cyber cooperation or cyber response.

Pillar number three is cooperation.

Finland is actively influences and participating international cooperation concerning the cyber domain. This includes cyber diplomacy and the development of regulations.

Finland actively participates and proactively influences cooperation on cyber security, cybercrime prevention and cyber defence. We are also supporting partner nations.

We are utilizing cybersecurity opportunities provided by the EU and NATO. This also includes public and private sectors develop a model of closer cooperation that reinforces trust. Also, the information required for cooperation between authorities is shared seamlessly.

Pillar number four is Response and countermeasures.

The latest changes in our security environment have strongly influenced the requirements for cyber response and countermeasures. Finland, like many of our allies, are allocating more recourses for response and countermeasures. These are also the areas where Finland is actively increasing our knowhow. The aim is to be able to tackle state-based actors and emerging threats with modern toolkit.

The response to cyber threats must be comprehensive, long-term and timely.
This requires extensive and determined application of measures that strengthen cybersecurity and prevent cyber threats.

Finland responds to the challenges of the geopolitical situation for the cyber environment through active cyber diplomacy, cyber defence and cybersecurity measures.

Society must be able to function without incidents, organisations must be capable of swiftly recovering from cyber incidents and attacks, and restoring their systems promptly and securely.

Finland's approach to Cyber Security has traditionally been resilience based and incident management heavy as part of comprehensive security and total defence. Although this has been successful and effective approach. However, we must not let the past success to limit our means to tackle the continuously evolving threat landscape.

The ability to apply a comprehensive and broad range of methods is particularly highlighted in responding to state-sponsored operations and serious cybercrime.

It is important to respond to hostile operations across the operating environment. This is why Finland is developing both doctrinal approach and legislation towards more active and proactive stance. This is especially against Nation-State cyber threats. Key tool for this change, which is also major evolution in our strategic culture, is National Cyber Defence Doctrine currently under drafting as cross sectoral work.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I will end this speech by highlighting some key takeaways.

Firstly, I think that the key to success is cooperation. Traditionally the nations are cooperating. However, I would like to increase the cooperation between cyber industry and governments. This could also mean transferring from partnerships and cooperation to collaboration.

Secondly it is important and possible to identify business possibilities from all four pillars. This could be a part of the deepening collaboration.

Thirdly all this could increase the trust and effectiveness of the cyber operations. Trust is something that a great event such as Cyber Security Nordic is also enhancing.

I wish you all fruitful cyber event here in Helsinki. Please start making fruitful busyness and safer future for us all.