Finland joins coalition to support Ukrainian navy
Finland is joining a naval coalition led by the United Kingdom and Norway, tasked with supporting the development of Ukraine's naval forces, according to the press service of the Finnish Ministry of Defence.
Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen emphasized that Finland joins coalitions only after carefully evaluating each case to ensure that “our contribution is sufficient and effective and provides clear added value for the development of Ukraine's military capabilities.”
The naval coalition, like other international coalitions, forms part of long-term efforts to support Ukraine. These coalitions work to plan and manage the development of the future capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in close cooperation with Ukrainian counterparts.
Finland has previously joined coalitions in areas including:
- artillery
- armoured vehicles
- mine clearance
- information technology
On 13 December 2023, the United Kingdom announced the creation of a maritime coalition to support Ukraine. Norway has also begun producing surface unmanned aerial vehicles on Ukrainian territory. The Norwegian Ministry of Defence noted that this step is part of the broad support provided by the maritime coalition, led jointly by Norway and the United Kingdom.
