Arctic security is paramount for European stability, Finland's defence minister told Euronews in a wide-ranging interview. He added talk of European nuclear deterrence is welcome but cannot replace NATO yet.
Russia is reinforcing its strategic assets in the Arctic and building up new facilities along the border with Finland, the Scandinavian country’s defence minister told Euronews, stressing the Arctic is “critical” to European defence.
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“Russia has most of their biggest strategic capabilities in nuclear, submarines, long-range bombers in the Kola Peninsula area,” Antti Häkkänen told Euronews in an interview on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference over the weekedn.
“They are building new military facilities along our border, same as the Cold War. It would be wise to watch the Arctic and build Arctic capabilities" for deterrence, he added
The Kola Peninsula - a 100,000 square kilometre region in far northwestern Russia - hosts the majority of the country’s sea-based strategic nuclear arsenal such as submarines as well as long-range aviation assets.
Häkkänen, whose country joined NATO in a historic decision after Russia invaded Ukraine, welcomed NATO's renewed defence planning in the High North, pointing to the launch of the enhanced vigilance activity Arctic Sentry, but suggested the region's security should have been a treated as a priority years ago. "It's old news."
He said Finland’s forces are “fully Arctic” and stand ready to share their expertise with allies to better protect the area. President Trump has suggested Europeans cannot do it alone, floating a purchase of Greenland which Denmark opposes backed by the EU.
Like 18 other European Union member states, Finland requested funding under the bloc’s €150 billion defence for loan scheme. Its request for €1bn was approved by the Commission last month with ministers expected to give the final green light this week.
Häkkänen told Euronews “a big part” of the money will be invested in its land forces to acquire products including armoured vehicles and drones.
Last year Helsinki kickstarted a major reform plan to overhaul its land defence before 2035 with an emphasis on enhanced strike capability, infrastructure upgrades, development of unmanned systems, and improving of materials self-sufficiency under emergency conditions.
'We need the US in short term'
The EU, Häkkänen said, is drawing the right lessons from the war in Ukraine and is doing the work to shore up its defence and take on more responsibility for its defence.
But he also sought to downplay concerns the US, the biggest single contributor to NATO, is not as committed to Europe's collective defence as it once was.
Trump sparked further tensions last month when he threatened to use military force to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory belonging to NATO ally Denmark, which he later walked back during a speech in Davos arguing he wouldn't need to.
The row has since de-escalated with the US, Greenland and Denmark engaged in trilateral talks. Still, Washington's unprecedented threats on a fellow NATO ally have accelerated discussions of boosting the so-called European pillar in the alliance.
Häkkänen insisted, however, that he believes the US remains “ironclad committed” to NATO’s core guarantee under Article 5 of collective defence, adding that “in the short-term that’s the only option for Europe” to fully guarantee deterrence.
“In the longer term, it would be better that the Europeans have their strong capabilities. But in the short, and even mid-term, we need the US. It's crucial to European security.”
US support also extends to the nuclear capabilities, according to him.
The Finnish minister said that while the offer from France and the UK to extend their nuclear deterrent to the rest of the continent is “good news”, it should not be seen as compensation for the US nuclear umbrella.
“That’s not the question now”.