Steinmeier stresses bond with Finland and Sweden
During a trip to the new NATO states of Sweden and Finland, Federal President Steinmeier learns about defence capabilities and crisis preparedness
Helsinki/Stockholm (dpa, d.de) – During a trip to Sweden and Finland, Germany’s Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has learnt more about the crisis preparedness and defence capabilities of the two Nordic NATO states. Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, both countries have been considered important partners on NATO’s eastern flank.
In Helsinki, Steinmeier and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb visited the Merihaka civil defence shelter. A huge bunker, it can provide protection for up to 6,000 people in the event of an emergency. Finland boasts an extensive network of air-raid shelters. In Helsinki alone, which has a population of roughly 660,000, there are enough shelters to accommodate around 900,000 people.
Steinmeier had already noted in Stockholm that Germany could learn from Sweden and Finland as far as defensive capabilities and societal resilience were concerned. He said that both countries were examples of how external defence capabilities and internal cohesion could be considered jointly.
Finland and Sweden had joined NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Both states have increased their expenditure on defence considerably in recent years. In Finland, military service also continues to play an important role. In an emergency, the country can quickly mobilise hundreds of thousands of reservists.
