The Chief of the Italian Army, Lieutenant General Carmine Masiello, conducted an official visit to Finland from September 2-4 at the invitation of the Finnish Army Commander, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki, according to a press release from the Finnish Army.
During the visit, Masiello visited the Defence Command, the Guard Jaeger Regiment, the Utti Jaeger Regiment, and the Southeast Finland Border Guard Section. There, he gained insight into Finnish conscript training, the operational environment, and arctic conditions. Together with Välimäki, he also observed the exercise Southern Griffin 25, which focuses on special forces and helicopter operations.
– The Italian and Finnish armies have excellent opportunities to intensify their cooperation in the near future regarding both exercises and many other sub-areas. Exercises in arctic conditions, in particular, provide our troops with an excellent opportunity to meet both national requirements and the demands of NATO's new troop structure, says Lieutenant General Masiello.
During the meetings between the chiefs, the development of the armies' capabilities and Finland's integration into NATO were discussed. The parties agreed on practical measures to deepen cooperation, especially in areas such as UAV operations, firepower usage, and exercises.
– For us, it is also important to increase understanding of the security environment and its development on NATO's southern flank. We find common solutions and exchange information to develop our performance capabilities and operations in cold conditions, says Lieutenant General Välimäki.