Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen’s speech at the opening of NATO’s Multi-Corps Land Component Command on 3 October 2025

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen's speech at the opening of NATO's Multi-Corps Land Component Command on 3 October 2025

Ladies and gentlemen

This is a historic day for Finland, NATO and Mikkeli.

We joined NATO because of Russia's attack to Ukraine. Russia will be a long-term threat to Europe and Finland.

In the autumn of 2023 we set our first NATO goal to seek a NATO subcommand structure in Finland, in order to maximize Finland's security.

The NATO Defence Ministerial Meeting approved the objectives in June 2024. Now, just over a year later, we are opening the headquarters in Finland.

This fast process underlines multiple facts.

First of all it underlines that Finland is a 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.

Thirdly all this underlines that NATO is fully committed to North and ready to make rapid actions when required.

Ladies and gentlemen,

One of the key enabler was that we were very well prepared. Being prepared is something that we Finns have in our minds set and in our spinal.

You can feel and see this preparedness here in Mikkeli region. We have strong will to defend our country and other allied countries. We have wide and active reservist forces and efficient model for comprehensive security.

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

The establishment of MCLCC today is also one fine example of being prepared, and being prepared to fight, if need be.

This is not an important step just for Finland, but for NATO as a whole.

In peacetime, the Multi-Corps Land Component Command will operate at the basic level of readiness and plan, prepare, command and control joint exercises and other peacetime activities.

In emergency conditions, it would plan, command and control land operations and defence in the North. Establishing the MCLCC is an extensive project even at the scale of the Alliance.

MCLCC will be one of the key elements of NATO's deterrence and defence in the North-Eastern Flank of NATO's.

And there are multiple things to follow.

All Nordic countries are moving under JFC Norfolk's command. NATO is establishing Forward Land Forces in Finland. Finland is continuing to develop its own national Defence Forces.

NATO's Northern Flank will be stronger than ever.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The City of Mikkeli has a special place in every Finns heart and mind. Mikkeli was the headquarters city during the Second World War. It is still called as the Headquarter City.

The Headquarters of the Finnish forces were located in the city center. That was the headquarters of the Finnish forces that were able to tackle the attacks by Soviet forces and safeguard the existence of our nation.

We were very successful in defending our way of living and our homeland. After all there were only three capitals in in Europe during the Second World War, which were not under foreign occupation. These were London, Moscow and Helsinki.

This period left an unforgettable mark to our common memory and history. A small nation was fighting for its existence against a ten times larger brutal attacker.

The legacy of Headquarter city is still strongly present. Mikkeli is the headquarters city.

This, together with our National Hero Marshall Mannerheim, who acted as the supreme commander during those challenging war time years, creates unique framework for today's military planners and leaders serving in Mikkeli.

In this city you can also see and feel the well-known strong will to defend our country and see our active reservist in exercises and get to know also to our efficient comprehensive security model.

From the historical point of view, fortunately today we are not alone anymore. We have NATO and its nations on our side, and MCLCC North is a concrete proof of this new chapter in Finnish history.

Dear friends,

As the defence minister of Finland, I share the biggest respect and trust to all men and women in a uniform.

I want to express my gratitude for the great work you have been doing and continue to do every day for our security.

I warmly welcome the first service men and women who have started working in the MCLCC already.

We want to ensure you have all you need to do your important task here in Finland, which greatly contributes to the security of the whole alliance and hence also your own families and loved ones.

I hope that you will have a great time in Finland both professionally and on your free time. Hopefully you will be able to enjoy Finland and our hospitality during your stay.

Especially our nature is something I personally value high. Mikkeli and its surroundings provide beautiful opportunities in this regard.

My apologies for the very British type weather sometimes here in Finland.

Another group of people I want to highlight, are the spouses, partners and families of the soldiers working now and in the future in Mikkeli. Without your commitment the success of MCLCC would not be possible.

I wish to you and to your families the best of time's in Finland. Finland is a great and happy place to live. We are the happiest country now eight years in a row.

Dear brothers and sisters in arms,

my own home is just 30 minutes' drive from here. I live there with my wife and our two children. Many of my relatives are living in this region.

I have the courage of saying that I know most of the forests, lakes, small roads and swamps in this region and along our eastern border.

As most of the Finns I have also served in the Finland's Defence Forces.

With my training and knowhow as a Platoon leader in engineering branch, but also as the Defence minister of the country with most of NATO's border with Russia, my assessments is, that you have a very demanding duties and work ahead of you.

You have to conduct your planning and preparations under unstable times of global politics, but also during a big transformation in NATO. Our common goal of defending Europe is very demanding, and I truly appreciate your professionalism and devotion.

You also have to get acquainted with the unique four seasons of ours. I can assure that some of them are surprisingly wet, or very wet and cold or very cold.

I wish both of the lieutenant generals here presents, Commander of Finland's Army Pasi Välimäki and Deputy Commander of the Allied Land Command Jez Bennett, very best of luck in your very challenging tasks and duties.

Thank you.

Return to headlines