Defence Minister Pål Jonson on a Working Visit to Finland

Pål Jonson visited Finland on 30 September for talks with his Finnish counterpart Antti Häkkänen. The day included defence policy discussions at the Hanatinget and visits to Rauma Marine Constructions and the Pori Brigade in Niinisalo.

In the morning, the ministers participated in the Hanatinget 2025 at Hanaholmen, an annual Swedish-Finnish forum for security and defence policy dialogue. This year's theme revolved around increasing hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea region and the role of the defence industry in a changing security environment. According to the Ministry of Defence, Jonson delivered a speech and participated in a panel discussion with Häkkänen, where they discussed how threats in the region can be addressed through joint measures.

– Sweden and Finland have a uniquely close defence cooperation in NATO, in the Baltic Sea region, and bilaterally. Our joint responsibility is to build strength and resilience, wrote Pål Jonson on X/Twitter.

In connection with the forum, Jonson also highlighted Russia's rapid military build-up in the vicinity and the importance of joint countermeasures, such as the protection of critical infrastructure and increased support to Ukraine.

After the Hanatinget, the defence ministers visited Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) to see the production of Finland's new Pohjanmaa-class corvettes. Jonson noted that the ships provide Finland with increased capability in the Baltic Sea and that Sweden is simultaneously planning the Luleå class with similar capabilities.

The visit continued to the Pori Brigade in Niinisalo. There, the ministers received a briefing on the brigade's training activities and equipment. According to Jonson, the M270 rocket artillery and the Patria 6x6 armoured vehicle were demonstrated, both systems that are also relevant for Sweden.

– The visit underscores how closely aligned Sweden and Finland are in both equipment choices and military needs going forward, he wrote in a tweet.

Finland's defence minister also commented on the meeting via social media:

– The Finnish-Swedish cooperation deepens and the Nordic defence is strengthened, wrote Antti Häkkänen on X/Twitter.

According to the Finnish Ministry of Defence, the focus throughout the day was on cooperation within the defence industry and interoperability between the systems in both countries.