Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen to attend meetings of NATO defence ministers, NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group and Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen to attend meetings of NATO defence ministers, NATO's Nuclear Planning Group and Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels

Minister of Defence Häkkänen is attending meetings of the NATO defence ministers, NATO's Nuclear Planning Group and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO Headquarters on 18 June.

"It will be an important and weighty day of meetings. The agenda of the meeting of defence ministers includes strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence, progress towards the defence spending commitment, boosting the defence industry and developing air and missile defence," Defence Minister Häkkänen said.

"Finland's goal is to promote decisions that strengthen defence, boost capabilities and improve readiness in Europe. All allies must take their duty to invest in collective defence seriously," Defence Minister Häkkänen added.

The agenda for the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) includes the situation in the war in Ukraine and the coordination of materiel and training support for Ukraine between participating countries.

"Support for Ukraine strengthens the stability of all of Europe as well as Finland's own security," Defence Minister Häkkänen said.

Minister of Defence Häkkänen will also attend a meeting of NATO's Nuclear Planning Group, which is the body responsible for NATO's nuclear deterrence policy.

"The agenda includes current topics relating to NATO's nuclear deterrence," Defence Minister Häkkänen said.

Minister Häkkänen will also meet with the defence ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries at the NB8 meeting.

Inquiries: Meiju Keksi, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Defence (NATO defence ministers' meeting), tel. +358 295 140 025, Esko Salminen, Senior Specialist (Ukraine Defence Contact Group's meeting), tel. +358 295 140 094. Requests for interviews with Minister Häkkänen: Dani Niskanen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 415 444 967.