Upon returning from an official visit to Finland, Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė unveiled Finland’s robust preparations to safeguard against the spectre of a high-intensity, full-scale invasion. In a series of thoughtful discussions with her Finnish counterpart Antti Häkkänen and Jukka Kopra, the Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Finnish Parliament, the Lithuanian minister delved into Finland’s pioneering “total defence” concept. This visionary model stands as a beacon for Central and Eastern European countries contemplating the ominous threats of aggression.
In Finland, the notion of national defence is woven into the fabric of societal duty, with regular courses offered that are not merely educational but are sophisticated opportunities viewed as privileges. Minister Šakalienė passionately emphasised the criticality of being prepared for crises, exploring the total defence model’s innovative principles and the best practices that Finland has meticulously developed. This comprehensive approach ensures the collaboration of all institutions in navigating crises and reinforces national resilience.
“Happy to see dear colleague Finland’s MoD @anttihakkanen. Around 80% of Finns are willing to militarily defend their country. 91% believe Finland should defend their allies 900k people in reserve + constant training = almost invincible strategy of total defence — the world has a lot to learn from Agreed to push for more defence spending in NATO, continue embracing Transatlantic unity, discussing production of ammo in Lithuania together w/ NAMMO My mission is also to make Lithuania ReadyToFightTonight When you’ve done everything you can to ensure your country is ready for any scenario – then you can feel calm & confident. Maybe it explains why Finns are the happiest nation for the 8th year in a row,” Minister Šakalienė posted on X.
The dialogue also ventured into fortifying European defence capabilities and the pressing need to ramp up spending. The Lithuanian minister identified the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague as a pivotal moment for Europe to confront emerging threats and swiftly elevate its defensive readiness and security financing.
In discussions about transatlantic relations, Šakalienė fervently underscored the necessity of a formidable US presence in the region, a cornerstone for effective deterrence against an assertive Russia. Another vital topic was the critical assistance to Ukraine, where the Nordic-Baltic countries pledged to contribute training support and necessary equipment to empower a brigade-sized unit, alongside fostering a collaborative defence industry tailored to the pressing needs of the embattled nation.
“Today, my guest was the Minister of Defense of Lithuania, Dovilė Šakalienė. Excellent discussions on current security issues. We are deepening defence cooperation between our countries. Finland and Lithuania share views on supporting Ukraine, strengthening the EU’s defence capabilities, and security issues in the Baltic Sea. We also discussed mines and the Ottawa Treaty,” the Finnish Minister of Defence posted on X after the meeting.
During her visit, Minister Šakalienė had the opportunity to engage with Dag Schjerven, vice chair of Nammo AS, a titan in the Scandinavian defence industry specialising in precision ammunition and visited the esteemed Jaeger Brigade.
Lithuania seeks to fortify its bilateral cooperation with Finland, aspiring to learn from its experiences and to hold rich, expert-level consultations on total defence strategies and military engineering tactics, including the intricate use of mines.
In Finland, most men aged 18 to 60 actively engage in service, reserves, or auxiliary reserves. Each year, the Finnish Defence Forces meticulously train around 22,000 new troops, of whom roughly 1,000 are women, reinforcing a comprehensive commitment to national security and resilience.
