Finnish Defense Minister: NATO defense spending should be increased

22 October, 2024 Canadian military during NATO exercises.

2023. Photo credits: Combat Camera The countries of the North Atlantic Alliance need to increase defense spending.

Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen stated this, Yle reports. The statement was made at NATO headquarters in Brussels after a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers last week. According to the Minister, Russia, together with its allies, is arming for a significant use of force.

Hakkanen believes that NATO's current goal of defense spending by member states will not be sufficient in the long run.

Antti Hakkanen. Photo from the page of the Finnish official

The Finnish Defense Minister insists that NATO countries should be able to invest more resources in their own defense. It should be noted that NATO members' current defense spending target is set at two percent of gross domestic product.

According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, 23 NATO countries currently spend 2% of their GDP on defense, whereas previously, there were only three such countries. "If you compare this with where we were in 2014, when only the UK, the US, and Greece accounted for 2%, we went from three countries to 23 countries..." said the NATO Secretary General before a meeting of alliance defense ministers.

Finland in NATO

In October, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stated that in today's geopolitical environment, NATO is getting back to its main task of deterring and defending against threats from the East, primarily from Russia. He noted that NATO countries share a common understanding of security challenges and should work together on both deterrence and defense.

Illustrative photo with the flag of Finland and NATO

Mr.

Stubb emphasized that Finland is actively involved in solidarity measures and improving NATO's command structures. In particular, the country will be part of the Alliance's Joint Command in Norfolk with the United States and northern allies. The country will also create a powerful ground component within its own armed forces.

In addition, Finland and Sweden are working on developing a forward land grouping to strengthen NATO's northern flank.