Chiefs of staff of Estonian, Finnish defense forces discuss cooperation

TALLINN - Lt. Gen. Vesa Virtanen, chief of the defense command of Finland, visited Estonia on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss defense cooperation with his colleague Maj. Gen. Vahur Karus, chief of staff of the Estonian defense forces.

In addition to regional security and the situation in the Baltic Sea, issues related to assistance to Ukraine were also on the agenda. Estonia's long-standing NATO membership also allowed it to share practical knowledge with its close ally on issues related to the defense alliance. The chiefs of staff of the defense forces of both countries also visited the Ämari Air Base, where they received an overview of the organization of NATO's air policing and inspected Estonia's new weapon systems.

"I am pleased to see how strong the foundations of military cooperation between Estonia and Finland are. Being able to talk openly with my Finnish colleague about the security situation in the region, we also share a common understanding of the role and importance of our mutual cooperation in ensuring security in the entire Baltic Sea region and, more broadly, in the entire eastern flank of NATO," Karus said at the end of the visit.

"We had meaningful discussions and agreed on further concrete steps. The Gulf of Finland is an important region for our countries and its protection requires close and intensive cooperation. Together we are stronger. I thank my colleague Maj. Gen. Karus for the open discussion and development of cooperation," Virtanen said.

He added that cooperation between the Finnish and Estonian defense forces is active in all areas. According to Virtanen, it was eye-opening to learn about the activities of Estonian and allied forces in the vicinity of the Finns, and he was also impressed by the good attitude and professionalism of the Estonian and allied soldiers.

"Cooperation between Estonia and Finland in the field of military defense is important for both sides and promotes the defense of both countries. Finland's membership in the alliance allows for the smooth development of cooperation based on our common needs," Karus said, adding that he highly values ​​the friendship between colleagues.

Finland and Estonia have a strong bilateral defense cooperation, which aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of both countries and promote the readiness of the allies to respond to potential security threats in the Baltic Sea region. The defense forces of the two countries are linked by decades of diverse cooperation. Estonian and Finnish troops participate in the training activities of both countries, including exercises and courses. There has also been close cooperation in participating in foreign operations and jointly purchasing air surveillance radars, mobile artillery and ammunition.