Australia, Finland reaffirm defence cooperation with signed statement

Minister Häkkänen also met with Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil to discuss shared defence and security priorities, as well as the Defence Science and Technology Group to identify opportunities for collaboration and a number of defence companies, including BAE Systems, SYPAQ Systems and Hanwha’s Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Avalon.

“We share concern about the deteriorating international security environment, which calls for coordination and dialogue between likeminded countries. The security and prosperity of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are interconnected, and we are committed to strengthening defence cooperation between Australia and Finland in areas of mutual interest and benefit,” Deputy PM Marles said.

“We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine and condemn unequivocally Russia’s illegal war of aggression. Australia and Finland share a determination to train, equip and support Ukraine’s defence forces against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion. This includes the important step of Australian and Finnish personnel working alongside one another to train Ukrainian personnel as part of the multinational Operation Legio.

“We also note the momentum of engagement between our respective air forces in 2026. From July to August, Finland joined Exercise Pitch Black and, in November, Australia will send observers to Exercise Protective Fence. With Finland introducing F-35 fighter jets into the Finnish Air Force, we look forward to exploring new opportunities for practical cooperation presented by our shared capabilities.

“Our reciprocal visits this year reflect the significance of our exchanges, the alignment of our values and the strength of our shared interests. We commit to continuing these exchanges of information, expertise and ideas to pursue mutually beneficial opportunities that increase the security of our countries.

“We commit to accelerating our defence capability partnership to support resilient and integrated supply chains that expand collective industrial capacity. To guide this work, we have agreed to explore an Australia–Finland Defence Capability Memorandum of Understanding that leverages the complementary strengths of our respective sovereign defence industrial bases, including on advanced technologies. To underpin this work, we also commit to exploring how our systems can share classified information.

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“We welcome the progress made in deepening Australia's engagement with NATO and the European Union, creating clear pathways for practical defence, capability industry and technology cooperation and further strengthening the bonds between Europe and the Indo‑Pacific.”

Robert Dougherty

Author

Robert is a senior journalist who has previously worked for Seven West Media in Western Australia, as well as Fairfax Media and Australian Community Media in New South Wales. He has produced national headlines, photography and videography of emergency services, business, community, defence and government news across Australia. Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Public Relations and Journalism at Curtin University, attended student exchange program with Fudan University and holds Tier 1 General Advice certification for Kaplan Professional. Reach out via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via LinkedIn.

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