Latest news with #AnttiHakkanen
Asharq Al-Awsat
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Finland Hails Plan for Allies to Join NATO Land Forces on its Soil
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen hailed plans on Wednesday for six NATO member states including Britain and France to participate in land forces that are to be established in northern Finland. Finland, which has a longer border with Russia than any other NATO state, has strengthened the frontier in the two years since it joined the military alliance following a policy U-turn after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Reuters reported. "I am very pleased that yesterday, in connection with the ministerial meeting, we were able to announce that Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are set to join FLF Finland," Hakkanen said on X, referring to what NATO calls Forward Land Forces. NATO leaders were meeting on Wednesday in The Hague. Helsinki and Stockholm agreed last year that Sweden would lead the establishment of a NATO land force in Finland and invited other allies to participate. The number of troops is yet to be defined. But the Finnish defense ministry has said that there is a plan for up to a brigade - about 5,000 soldiers - and a significant number of equipment to be brought in if the security situation worsens. The first NATO land forces will start to arrive this year and be placed above the Arctic circle in Rovaniemi and Sodankyla, it said. In addition to the foreign reinforcement force in the north, Finland will host a new NATO land force headquarters for officers in Mikkeli, southern Finland, an about two-hour drive from the Finnish-Russian border.
The Star
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Finland hails plan for allies to join NATO land forces on its soil
FILE PHOTO: Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on the eve of a NATO defence ministers' meeting at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 12, 2025. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/ File Photo HELSINKI (Reuters) -Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen hailed plans on Wednesday for six NATO member states including Britain and France to participate in land forces that are to be established in northern Finland. Finland, which has a longer border with Russia than any other NATO state, has strengthenedthe frontier in the two years since it joined the military alliance following a policy U-turn after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "I am very pleased that yesterday, in connection with the ministerial meeting, we were able to announce that Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are set to join FLF Finland," Hakkanen said on X, referring to what NATO calls Forward Land Forces. NATO leaders were meeting on Wednesday in The Hague. Helsinki and Stockholm agreed last year that Sweden would lead the establishment of a NATO land force in Finland and invited other allies to participate. The number of troops is yet to be defined. But the Finnish defence ministry has said that there is a plan for up to a brigade - about 5,000 soldiers - and a significant number of equipment to be brought in if the security situation worsens. The first NATO land forces will start to arrive this year and be placed above the Arctic circle in Rovaniemi and Sodankyla, it said. In addition to the foreign reinforcement force in the north, Finland will host a new NATO land force headquarters for officers in Mikkeli, southern Finland, an about two-hourdrive from the Finnish-Russian border. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen in Helsinki, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Finland hails plan for allies to join NATO land forces on its soil
FILE PHOTO: Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on the eve of a NATO defence ministers' meeting at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 12, 2025. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/ File Photo Finland hails plan for allies to join NATO land forces on its soil HELSINKI - Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen hailed plans on Wednesday for six NATO member states including Britain and France to participate in land forces that are to be established in northern Finland. Finland, which has a longer border with Russia than any other NATO state, has strengthened the frontier in the two years since it joined the military alliance following a policy U-turn after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "I am very pleased that yesterday, in connection with the ministerial meeting, we were able to announce that Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are set to join FLF Finland," Hakkanen said on X, referring to what NATO calls Forward Land Forces. NATO leaders were meeting on Wednesday in The Hague. Helsinki and Stockholm agreed last year that Sweden would lead the establishment of a NATO land force in Finland and invited other allies to participate. The number of troops is yet to be defined. But the Finnish defence ministry has said that there is a plan for up to a brigade - about 5,000 soldiers - and a significant number of equipment to be brought in if the security situation worsens. The first NATO land forces will start to arrive this year and be placed above the Arctic circle in Rovaniemi and Sodankyla, it said. In addition to the foreign reinforcement force in the north, Finland will host a new NATO land force headquarters for officers in Mikkeli, southern Finland, an about two-hour drive from the Finnish-Russian border. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Finland hails plan for allies to join NATO land forces on its soil
HELSINKI, June 25 (Reuters) - Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen hailed plans on Wednesday for six NATO member states including Britain and France to participate in land forces that are to be established in northern Finland. Finland, which has a longer border with Russia than any other NATO state, has strengthened the frontier in the two years since it joined the military alliance following a policy U-turn after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "I am very pleased that yesterday, in connection with the ministerial meeting, we were able to announce that Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are set to join FLF Finland," Hakkanen said on X, referring to what NATO calls Forward Land Forces. NATO leaders were meeting on Wednesday in The Hague. Helsinki and Stockholm agreed last year that Sweden would lead the establishment of a NATO land force in Finland and invited other allies to participate. The number of troops is yet to be defined. But the Finnish defence ministry has said that there is a plan for up to a brigade - about 5,000 soldiers - and a significant number of equipment to be brought in if the security situation worsens. The first NATO land forces will start to arrive this year and be placed above the Arctic circle in Rovaniemi and Sodankyla, it said. In addition to the foreign reinforcement force in the north, Finland will host a new NATO land force headquarters for officers in Mikkeli, southern Finland, an about two-hour drive from the Finnish-Russian border.
Free Malaysia Today
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Finland summons Russian diplomat after suspected airspace violation
Finland's defence minister Antti Hakkanen said an investigation into yesterday's incident has been launched. (AFP pic) HELSINKI: Finland on Wednesday summoned Russia's charge d'affaires for talks, a day after a Russian military aircraft was suspected of violating Finnish airspace, the foreign ministry told AFP. Finland's defence ministry said on Tuesday that it believed a Russian military aircraft had violated Finnish airspace off the coast of Porvoo, east of the capital Helsinki. The foreign ministry said it would provide more details after the talks. The incident came only weeks after a similar incident, which was also followed by a summoning of Russia's diplomatic representative. Finland, which joined Nato in 2023 after Moscow's fully-fledged invasion of Ukraine a year earlier, shares a 1,340km border with Russia. 'An investigation into the alleged violation of airspace was launched immediately,' defence minister Antti Hakkanen said of Tuesday's incident, adding that the coast guard would head the inquiry. Moscow has repeatedly warned Finland of possible repercussions over its decision to join Nato, amid heightened tensions. Hakkanen told AFP in mid-May that Finland was 'closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions'. He was commenting after the New York Times published satellite images appearing to show an expansion of Russian military infrastructure near the border.
