Minister of Defence Häkkänen to attend NATO defence ministers’ meeting

Minister of Defence Häkkänen to attend NATO defence ministers' meeting

Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen will attend a meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 17-18 October 2024. Topics on the meeting agenda will be NATO's global partnerships and the strengthening of NATO's deterrence and defence and support for Ukraine.

Defence ministers will first meet with NATO's Indo-Pacific partners and the European Union. NATO's partners in the Indo-Pacific region, i.e. Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, will be attending their first Meeting of NATO Defence Ministers. The session will discuss the strengthening of NATO's support for Ukraine and the deepening of cooperation with partners.

"The Alliance and the Indo-Pacific partners share a common understanding of the current security environment. We have many opportunities to deepen our cooperation for example in the fields of defence industry, cyber and space," Minister of Defence Häkkänen says.

Defence ministers will conclude the first day of their meeting at a working dinner with Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. They will be briefed on the situation in the battlefield and discuss ways to strengthen NATO's support for Ukraine.

"The war in Ukraine is still at a critical stage. Finland has delivered 25 consignments of defence materiel supplies to Ukraine, and we will continue our support together with our allies," Minister Häkkänen says.

On the second day of the meeting, Allied defence ministers will discuss ways to strengthen deterrence and defence, including defence industry development and NATO operations.

Minister Häkkänen's other meetings in Brussels

On Thursday 17 October, Minister of Defence Häkkänen will also attend the defence ministers' meetings of the Global Coalition against Daesh, the Northern Defence Dialogue and the Framework Nation Concept.

The meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh will discuss the transition that started in September to end the Coalition's military mission, known as Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), as well as the Coalition's future measures against Daesh. The meeting will be convened by the United States as the Coalition lead.

At the meeting of the Northern Defence Dialogue, defence ministers and representatives of the Arctic NATO countries will discuss topical Arctic security issues. The meeting will be attended by the United States, Canada and the Nordic countries.

The meeting of the Germany-led Framework Nation Concept (FNC) will discuss the FNC's annual report and exchange views on the future of the FNC. The FNC has 21 European countries as members, and most of them are NATO Allies. Its goal is to develop multinational capabilities and to build formations.

The minister will also have several bilateral meetings in Brussels.

Inquiries: Meiju Keksi, Senior Specialist, on the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 322; Antti Rajahalme, Senior Staff Officer, on the Global Coalition against Daesh, tel. +358 295 140 059; Anton Staffans, Senior Specialist, on the Northern Defence Dialogue, tel. +358 295 140 074; Olli-Pekka Anttila, Senior Specialist, on the meeting of the Framework Nation Concept, tel. +358 295 140 019, and Emma Virkkunen, Senior Specialist (communications), tel. +358 295 140 176. Requests for interviews with Minister Häkkänen: Dani Niskanen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 41 544 4967

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