Finland’s substantial arms purchases from Israel are 'extremely important, of top quality, and very well suited' to the country’s defense forces, says defense minister
Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen has said there is no need for new guidelines on arms trade with Israel, even as the war in Gaza continues.
His remarks came after Germany announced it would suspend exports of military equipment that Israel could use in the conflict.
"For years, no actual weapons have been exported from Finland to Israel, and other exports of defense and dual-use items have also been very limited. The individual exports have mainly been various equipment related to protection. Nor are there any new export openings to Israel planned," Hakkanen told Finnish broadcaster YLE in an email.
He stressed that Finland’s substantial arms purchases from Israel are “extremely important, of top quality, and very well suited” to the country’s defense forces.
The most prominent deal is for David’s Sling, an Israeli air defense missile system, which he described as “a critically important piece in Finland’s air defense” because it replaces a capability that has been decommissioned.
According to the minister, there are no talks about cancelling the agreement. “If the air-defense missile deal were cancelled now, the result would be that the entire procurement would go back to square one. Obtaining this necessary air-defense capability would be delayed by several years.
"Finland would also have to pay significant contractual penalties. In other words, money would go to Israel, but Finland would not get the air-defense capability it needs,” he said.
Defense exports from Finland to Israel had been modest in recent years, with annual permits ranging from about $153,000 to $1.1 million, mainly for electronics and protective gear, according to YLE.
In 2024, however, the value of export permits jumped to nearly $19 million, almost all of it from a single software contract by Insta Group, it said.
Israel is facing mounting condemnation for its genocidal war on Gaza, where it has killed nearly 61,500 victims. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
