Finland Defense Chief: Israel Arms Ties Bind Us "Like It or Not"
In a statement issued by the Defense Ministry, Hakkanen described the Israeli systems Finland has bought in recent years as central to its defense capability. He pointed to the David's Sling air defense system, Gabriel 5 missiles, and Spike anti-tank missiles.
Buying such systems also locks Finland into a lasting relationship with Israeli suppliers for spare parts, software updates, training, and technical support, Hakkanen said.
“This fact binds us to cooperation with Israel, whether we like it or not,” he said.
He noted that Finland's 2024 Defense Report named Israel, alongside the US and South Korea, as a key defense materiel partner. Among Finland's parliamentary parties, he said, only the Left Alliance opposed cooperation with Israel.
The remarks arrive amid a broader European debate over military ties with Israel. Human rights groups have called on governments to halt arms transfers, warning that continued supplies risk enabling violations of international law in Gaza. Spain has tightened its restrictions on arms trade with Israel, and Italy suspended the automatic renewal of a defense cooperation agreement earlier this year.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
