EDA Chief Visited Finland for Talks on Defence Cooperation

EDA Executive Director André Denk visited Finland on 27 to 28 May for meetings with Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen and military representatives. The visit also included a visit to the border with Russia and a capability demonstration.

Jacob Wollheimfinland30 May 2026Updated 8 Jun 2026Original Source

André Denk, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA), visited Finland on 27 and 28 May. The visit is part of a series of trips to member states' defence ministries and armed forces.

According to a press release from the European Defence Agency, Denk met in Helsinki (the Finnish capital) with Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, as well as several senior representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Finnish Defence Forces (Puolustusvoimat), including Commander of the Defence Forces General Janne Jaakkola, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Janne Kuusela, and National Armaments Director Olli Ruutu.

The visit also included the Vaalimaa border crossing between Finland and Russia, as well as a capability demonstration featuring a Jehu U700 combat boat.

According to the EDA, discussions focused on the EU's so-called Defence Readiness Agenda, Finland's defence needs, and the ongoing cooperation between Finland and the EDA.

The EDA states that Finland participates in the agency's Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and in broader cooperative initiatives covering areas including military mobility and the protection of critical infrastructure.

Common questions about the article

Questions and answers generated automatically from the article content.

01Which Finnish representatives did EDA Executive Director André Denk meet during the visit to Helsinki?

André Denk met Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, Commander of the Defence Forces General Janne Jaakkola, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Janne Kuusela, and National Armaments Director Olli Ruutu. The visit took place on 27 and 28 May in Helsinki and forms part of a series of visits to EU member states' ministries of defence. Last fact-checked: 2026-05-30.

02What was demonstrated to the EDA Chief during the visit to the border with Russia?

03Which areas of cooperation did the discussions between Finland and EDA focus on during May 2026?