Finland has extended its defense cooperation agreement with Israel for 10 years, ensuring continued collaboration on military research, weapons development and procurement through 2034.
The memorandum was approved by Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen in early 2024, after the latest war in Gaza had begun. Unlike previous agreements, which were renewed for five years at a time, the new pact will remain in effect for a full decade.
Under its terms, Finland and Israel will maintain a joint coordination group that meets at least once a year to oversee defense-sector cooperation.
The agreement also supports Finland’s existing purchases from Israeli companies, including the David’s Sling air-defense system developed by Israel’s Rafael and the US company Raytheon. Finland approved the purchase, valued at more than €300 million, shortly before the Gaza war began.
Finnish defense company Patria has also worked with Israeli manufacturers to integrate Israeli weapons and protection systems into its armored vehicles. These include Rafael’s Trophy active-protection system and Spike anti-tank missiles.
Häkkänen defended the extension as standard practice, noting that Finland has similar cooperation documents with about 40 countries. “It is not some dramatic new policy,” he said, describing the agreement as part of implementing existing air-defense and procurement partnerships.
The disclosure prompted an angry response from opposition parties in Finland. Green League leader Sofia Virta demanded that Prime Minister Petteri Orpo appear before Parliament to explain Finland’s commitments and whether the country could withdraw from the agreement.
“When we demanded pressure on Israel, the government intensified cooperation,” Virta said, accusing the government of deliberately deepening Finland’s reliance on Israeli military technology.
The Left Alliance said it would submit a written parliamentary question to determine which officials knew about the agreement. Party leader Minja Koskela criticized the lack of public disclosure, while lawmaker Veronika Honkasalo questioned whether the Foreign Ministry had been consulted.
Critics also warned that the agreement could damage Finland’s international reputation and make the country increasingly dependent on Israeli companies for maintenance, spare parts, software and upgrades. Häkkänen, however, said Finland’s priority was ensuring access to advanced air-defense technology.
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